#90YearsofMorris: Conservation of Philadelphia's Trees In 1935, Dr. Rodney H. True, Director of the Morris from 1933–1938, gave an address live on the radio for the Council for Preservation of Natural Beauty in Pennsylvania concerning the conservation of trees in Philadelphia. Read the address, along with an update on today's conservation efforts by Jason Lubar, Associate Director of Urban Forestry. In the late 1600s, when William Penn planned Philadelphia, he envisioned a "Greene Countrie Towne" replete with wide tree-lined streets, parks, and open space because he understood and embraced the value of trees in developing areas. Around 1700, this was further exemplified by Penn implementing the first ordinance in the colonies to protect Philadelphia’s public trees. Subsequently, Philly prospered and grew, as did its trees. However, during the Industrial Revolution, many trees were removed, and the survivors suffered from the accompanying smoke and pollution. Citizens and the Fairmount Park Commission became deeply concerned that the impacts from industrial development were resulting in unhealthy trees and declining tree-related benefits. Rodney True’s speech below testifies to those concerns about how our urban trees were bombarded with a panoply of problems such as horses gnawing through tree bark, poor pruning practices, vehicle damage, pollution, and poor quality urban soils. These problems persist to this day. In the mid-1970s, Philly had about 300,000 street trees, as noted in Tree Maintenance in Philadelphia by Robert McConnell. In the past 50 years, the declining budget of the Fairmount Park Commission, now the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreations (PPR), resulted in the loss of nearly 200,000 street trees, and today about 115,000 survive.           However, there is a renewed but timeless concern about managing and increasing Philadelphia’s tree canopy. PPR’s Philly Tree Plan is an excellent example to strategically address the problems that …

Plant Names and Provenance: Acer griseum (paperbark maple) Read about Acer griseum (paperbark maple), an all-season star of the Morris Arboretum & Gardens. Acer griseum (paperbark maple) is an all-season star of the Morris Arboretum & Gardens: a medium-sized, deciduous tree with papery, cinnamon-colored bark and  brilliant orange-red fall leaf color. The genus Acer is the Latin name for the maple tree. The epithet griseum means “grey,” referring to the undersides of the leaves. The gray color is the result of numerous trichromes (hairs); one function of trichromes is to shield leaves from harmful UV radiation. Image 1964-751*A Acer griseum (paperbark maple) in Bark Park. This medium-sized tree branches close to the ground. Image 1964-751*A Acer griseum (paperbark maple) in Bark Park. The curling, copper-colored bark gives this deciduous tree four-season interest.                               The species was introduced from China to the West by the famous plant explorer E.H. Wilson, first by seed given to the Veitch Nursery in England in 1901 and then by two seedlings given to the Arnold Arboretum in Boston in 1907. The oldest Acer griseum growing at the Morris, accessioned in 1932, is a product of that Veitch Nursery seed. After E.H. Wilsonʻs two introductions, no additional material was collected in the wild for over 80 years. The Morris participated in the two most recent expeditions to China to collect Acer griseum samples: the 1994 and 2015 North America-China Plant Exploration Consortium (NACPEC) Expeditions. The 1994 expedition yielded seedlings from Acer griseum , and four of the trees growing at the Morris are products of that exploration. Two seed collections were made on the 2015 NACPEC Expedition for Acer griseum , which yielded three trees that are currently growing in our greenhouse. Image 1964-751*A Acer griseum (paperbark maple) in Bark Park. The undersides of the leaflets bear grey hairs responsible for the epithet, griseum , meaning grey. Image …

Tree Pose in the Treetops at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens Find out more about our Treetop Yoga courses, where participants find themselves fifty feet up among the tree canopy on Out on a Limb , one of the Morris’s most popular attractions. It’s 5 pm on a cool May day, and an outdoor yoga class at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens is about to begin. But instead of staying rooted on the ground, the students gathered for Treetop Yoga find themselves fifty feet up among the canopy, spaced out along Out on a Limb , one of the Morris’s most popular attractions. The exhibit extends for 450 feet of elevated walkways, winding through the trunks of beeches, oaks, hickories, and black tupelos—except where the floor splits to allow a tree to pass directly through, around which netting hangs that allows visitors to climb or lounge at an elevation usually reserved for squirrels. As the students rise to balance on one leg in tree pose, their bodies mimic the branches that spread out around them. Part of the University of Pennsylvania, the Morris sees tens of thousands of visitors throughout the year. Many come to take advantage of a variety of continuing education classes amidst its collection of trees and plants from around the world. But Treetop Yoga may be this year’s most unique offering. “What was really interesting was realizing how up until that point all my yoga practices had been firmly on the ground close to the Earth,” said Lori Rouhana, one of the students attending the class. “To be suspended in the air at eye level with the treetops was a whole new vantage point and made the practice that much more unique and special.” Image Credit: Jeffrey Meade That idea is at the core of instructor Maura Manzo’s concept for the class, making use of the setting provided by Out on a Limb to pull students out of their routines and the regular mental patterns that go along with them. “Coming into spaces like this, you couldn’t be further away from a yoga studio. That in and of itself …

Urban Forestry Fellow at the 2023 ISA Conference This August, the Morris Arboretum & Gardens Urban Forestry Fellow attended the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) annual conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Image As the Urban Forestry Fellow at Morris Arboretum & Gardens, I visit new places all over the Philadelphia region to see trees in their various states of life and meet the people that care for them. In a short time, I have grown to love these intertwined interactions between trees and people. Recently I had the opportunity to fly to another new place a bit outside of the Philadelphia region, leaving behind the verdant forest of the East Coast for the golden deserts of Albuquerque, New Mexico to attend the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) annual conference. The ISA is entering its 100 th  year of caring for trees, with its mission statement as follows: “Through research, technology, and education, ISA promotes the professional practice of arboriculture and fosters a greater worldwide awareness of the benefits of trees.” In other words, if you are a tree person, this is the place to be. Image Photo: Matt Walker I have never attended a conference before, and as the sole attendee from Morris I was nervous about being a good representative of our city and trees. Whatever anxieties I might have had quickly melted away during the keynote address when Florence Williams, author of The Nature Fix , stepped on stage. She spoke about how being in and amongst trees, appreciating their beauty, and being in awe of them can create a cascade of physical and mental health benefits. I sat there thinking about the green spaces in my life, like the grove of dawn-redwoods at Morris, and I could feel myself settling in and gathering excitement for the days to come. The ensuing time was filled to the brim with talks of trees from experts and professionals all over the world. There were talks about building soil for trees, caring for trees during …

Scarecrows Give Off That 1990s Vibe Morris Arboretum & Gardens’ 16th Annual Scarecrow Contest opened this past weekend. Themed “the 1990s” in celebration of our 90th anniversary, it's a fun (and sometimes a bit scary) time-machine trip back to the late 20th century that the whole family will enjoy.   “You go girl,” “Talk to the Hand,” “Sup,” “You’ve got mail,” cell phones, Supersize It, hip hop, and grunge. The 1990s seem at once vaguely modern and nostalgically remote in our collective consciousness. In celebration of our 90th anniversary, Morris Arboretum & Gardens’ 16th Annual Scarecrow Contest opened this past weekend. Themed “the 1990s,” it is a fun (and sometimes a bit scary) time-machine trip back to the late 20th century that the whole family will enjoy.   The show starts with, of course, the Simpsons, but in this case a clever five-headed monster version of the iconic family.  Later in the show, Marge herself appears in a striking golden outfit and glowing blue hair. Image Image       There are several other animated characters everyone will recognize, including a cleverly constructed straw-bale SpongeBob complete with tiny little legs, and a lovingly hand-stitched riff on the Pokémon character Pikachu titled “Pika-boo.”  You will also find the Rugrats, Super Mario, and some more obscure 90s references like represented on the grounds. Image Image Movie references abound, including a startling Jim Carrey as The Mask , Forrest Gump, Hermione Granger from Harry Potter , Mrs. Doubtfire, and Kenan Thompson as Dexter Reed in the 1997 comedy Goodburger. Image Image   Music is also well represented this year, and what would 90s pop music be without Britney Spears. Highlighted this year are two Britneys—the happy-go-lucky pop star and her nightmare-on-dance-street twin. Image Image Hip-hop pioneers MC Hammer and Flavor Flav are here too, replete with boom-box jewelry and customs grills. Image Image Some artists took a more spine-chilling approach. Two of the most …

Plant Names and Provenance: Ulmus glabra 'Horizontalis' (Tabletop Scotch elm) Ulmus glabra ' Horizontalis' (Tabletop Scotch elm) is a treasure at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens—one of very few arboreta in the US to cultivate one—and was planted on the Morris Estate sometime before 1909. Ulmus glabra 'Horizontalis' (Tabletop Scotch elm) is a treasure at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens—one of very few arboreta in the US to cultivate one—and this tree was planted on the Morris Estate sometime before 1909. Ulmus is the classical Latin name for an elm, and this tree has the typical elm leaf (see photo). The specific epithet, glabra , means smooth, referring to the bark. ʻHorizontalis' refers to the horizontal growth habit of this cultivar; it was initially called 'Pendula,' i.e. weeping, but 'Horizontalis' prevailed as a more accurate description. Image 1932-1106*A Ulmus glabra  'Horizontalis' (Tabletop Scotch elm) with its unusual horizontal growth habit. Photo by Katherine Wagner-Reiss. Image 1932-1106* A Ulmus glabra  'Horizontalis' (Tabletop Scotch elm). Accessioned in 1932, the year the Morris Estate was bequeathed to the University of Pennsylvania, the tree was actually planted by the Morrises sometime before 1909. Photo by Clara Roth, McClean Contributionship Youth & Visitor Education Intern.   Ulmus glabra  'Horizontalis' is an example of a grafted tree. Grafting can be traced back 4,000 years to ancient China and Mesopotamia and has a practical use in fruit production, although in this case its application is purely ornamental. Grafting requires skill, as the vascular cambium tissues of the upper part of one plant (scion) must be closely matched with the vascular cambium tissues of the root system of another plant (rootstock).  The technique was well-known to 19th-century European gardeners, a society that was always on the lookout for new and exciting garden plants, especially weeping and contorted trees. Ulmus glabra  'Horizontalis' has a provenance dating …

Rebuild: Morris Urban Forestry in the Parks of Philadelphia In 2017 the City of Philadelphia established it’s Rebuild initiative, aimed at revitalizing and enhancing community infrastructure like community centers, libraries, and parks in underserved areas around the city. In recent months, the Morris Urban Forestry team has conducted tree assessments for several parks that are designated for improvements through Rebuild. In 2017 the City of Philadelphia established it’s Rebuild initiative, aimed at revitalizing and enhancing community infrastructure like community centers, libraries, and parks in underserved areas around the city. In recent months, the Morris Urban Forestry team has conducted tree assessments for several parks that are designated for improvements through Rebuild. Trees are a critical part of communities, offering numerous benefits that contribute to the health and well-being of neighborhoods. Urban trees act as natural filters for air pollution, provide essential shade in city heat, and even contribute to crime reduction. Within parks, trees create a tranquil, safe, and inviting environment for people to come together, fostering stronger community connections. Our tree inventories and assessments serve the purpose of ensuring that these trees are properly accounted for and cared for to maximize their benefits for both the park and the community. The assessment process begins with the measurement of each tree and recording vital variables such as species, circumference, condition, and any necessary maintenance requirements. This data is then entered into mapping software called ArcGIS, allowing us to generate a comprehensive inventory spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel and an IntelliCAD map displaying the assessed trees. Image An IntelliCAD map of the tree assessment for Russo Park in Northeast Philadelphia. The color of each tree represents its life expectancy while the letters demarcate whether the tree should be removed or if it is a Philadelphia …

Morris Motor Show Revs Up Summer 2023 The 2023 Morris Motor Show showcased almost a dozen vehicles manufactured during many of the nine decades the Morris has been open to the public.    This summer’s Morris Motor Show at Morris Arboretum & Gardens began with a car chase. “There were three cars that I literally chased down on the street to recruit,” said Steve Gendler, a neighbor and committee volunteer at the Morris. “I chased down a 2023 red Corvette for a couple of miles!” Image A row of classic cars featured in the 2023 Morris Motor Show.   Gendler organized the show as part of the Garden’s 90th anniversary celebration. It took place Saturday, July 15. The event was inspired by founders John and Lydia Morris's love of cars. They owned a 1912 electric vehicle, a Chrysler that was used on the grounds, and a chauffeur-driven Pierce-Arrow EDL that was special-ordered by Miss Lydia in 1927. Gendler, a member of the Delaware Valley Jaguar Club , was tasked by F. Otto Haas Executive Director Bill Cullina with finding one car for each of the Morris's nine decades. He got help from DVJC member Michael Wolf and the Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance in sourcing cars.   SPEED AND BEAUTY Image 1929 Packard 640 Phaeton The group determined the selections should demonstrate stylistic and technological advances as well as cultural expression for each era. What resulted presented quite a stylistic and performance progression, with the 1929 Packard 640 Phaeton and the 1938 SS Jaguar truly setting a high tone for future generations of automotive design. There was a range of power, transmission, and speed represented among the gleaming vehicles. The show included a 2008 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti with a top speed of 199 mph, driven to the Morris by Carol Petrow; a 2023 Rivian R1T with 900 horsepower; and a 1954 Corvette brought by DVJC members Bruce and Shelley Menkowitz. True ingenuity and authenticity were on display, from the rich Mark 2 burl walnut interior surround to the Ferrari …