Reed Quad Arboretum Walk
The University of Georgia campus is one of the most beautiful in the United States. Stately, noble trees provide human scale, a sense of place, cooling shade, and tranquility to students, faculty, staff and visitors. To walk this hallowed campus is to sense the pride in its heritage and hope for the future. The designation of the campus as an arboretum not only insures sustained, energetic tree planting and maintenance, but also presents opportunities for studying trees. This “Tree Walk” is the first project of the University of Georgia Campus Arboretum initiative. Begin this tour at Memorial Hall bus stop. Walk eastward from the bus stop. Behind the first wooded University Union sign is where you will find the first tree. Look for the black plaques mounted in front of each described tree species. To advance from tree to tree, use the arrows on the sides of the screen or swipe to the left if using the mobile map.
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WIRT L. WINN HOLLY
Ilex x koehneana 'Wirt L. Winn' This holly is a hybrid of Ilex latifolia and Ilex aquifolium. Its densely branched, pyramidal crown make it an attractive choice for screening plants. Wirt L. Winn hollies are dioecious and require both a male and a female plant to produce red berry-like drupes from its inconspicuous May blooms. The Wirt L. Winn holly’s new growth has a burgundy tinge when it first emerges.
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OVERCUP OAK
Quercus lyrata Overcup oaks are a species of oak native to lowland areas of the southeastern United States, particularly in the Coastal Plain. Like many other oaks, the acorns are beloved by wildlife including deer, turkey, squirrel, and other small mammals. The specific epithet, lyrata, translates to “lyre-like” in Latin which refers to the shape of the leaf which resembles three lyres stacked on top of one another.
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CRAPE MYRTLE
Lagerstroemia indica Although not native to the United States, the crape myrtle has become symbolic of the American South because of its widespread plantings. The genus name, Lagerstroemia, is in honor of Magnus von Lagerstoem, a Swedish botanist who collected many rare plant specimens from India and China.
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CAROLINA CHERRY LAUREL
Prunus caroliniana The Carolina cherry laurel is native to the Coastal Plain of the southeastern United States. When crushed, its leaves give off a cherry like fragrance. Carolina cherry laurels are recognizable by their evergreen leaves and black fruits which persist on the tree until the following flowering season. These berries along with the foliage of the Carolina cherry laurel are poisonous to humans. The leaves contain hydrocyanic acid which is synthesized to cyanide in the stomach of mammals. Birds, however, relish the fruit.
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SOUTHERN RED OAK
Quercus falcata The southern red oak is a large native oak to the southern and eastern United States. They are often found growing in pine-hardwood forests. Like many other oaks, the acorns produced by the tree are a vital food source for many animals.
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DEVILWOOD
Cartrema americanus Native to the southeastern Coastal Plain, the devilwood is a small tree or shrub that known for its flowers and evergreen foliage. Like many other members of the Cartrema genus, devilwood has very fragrant white blooms. The flowers appear in early spring and give way to dark blue drupe fruits that mature from August to October. These fruits serves as a food source for birds and small mammals.
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SUGAR MAPLE
Acer saccharum Sugar maples are stately maples native to the northeastern United States. Because of their high sugar content, sugar maples are the preferred tree for maple syrup production. Native Americans were the first to utilize the tree for maple syrup making and used the syrup in cough remedies. Now, maple syrup making is a multimillion dollar industry in North America.
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SHUMARD OAK
Quercus shumardii The Shumard oak is a stately oak native to the southern United States. Horticulturally, the Shumard oak is important in the southeast because of its ability to tolerate heat and drought. Shumard oaks also can have a brilliant display of fall color under the right conditions.
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CANADIAN HEMLOCK
Tsuga canadensis The eastern hemlock is an attractive conifer that occurs in the northern midwest and the northern Appalachian Mountains. The litter produced by the tree creates an acidic soil surrounding the base of the tree, reducing competition with other plants. The slow-growing nature of the tree can reach 1,000+ years of age. Many different types of wildlife rely on hemlock. Hemlocks are under attack from an introduced pest, the woolly adelgid, which has decimated populations of hemlock in the eastern United States.
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POST OAK
Quercus stellata The post oak is a widespread species of oak throughout the southern United States. The post oak is hardy and quite drought resistant. They are slow-growing and can reach 450 years of age. Their acorns serve as food for many southern woodland animals including, whitetail deer, squirrels, raccoons, turkey, and other various bird species.