Trees Gallery - RHS Harlow Carr - page 8

Taxodium distichum 'Gee Wiz'

Dwarf bald cypress

Gee Wiz is a slow growing dwarf variety of the Bald Cypress, which might reach 2m in 20 years, though it is too soon to tell with this cultivar - only discovered in 2006. It was propagated from a witch's broom, and named after Gary Gee who found it at the Hidden Lake Gardens in Michigan.

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Taxus baccata dovastonia aureum

Dovaston's golden yew

This spreading yew stands out for its yellow-edged leaves and golden shoots which weep gently at the branch tips. It has distinctly horizontal branches making an intriguing specimen plant for larger gardens. Like all yews, all parts are highly poisonous.

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Thuja plicata atrovirens

Western red cedar

A large evergreen conifer, native to NW North America. It can grow up to 70m, the largest tree in its genus. It is not a true cedar, that is not a member of the cedrus genus. Plicata refers to the braided or plaited leaves, and atrovirens to the dark green colouring of the leaves. It is a popular choice as a hedging plant.

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Tsuga heterophylla

Western hemlock

A large conifer (reaching 70 m), native to the west coast of N. America. Introduced to the UK in the 1800s. The needles have two white stripes underneath. The cones are small and have no stalks.

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Vitis coignetiae

Crimson glory vine

Not a tree, but a vine that grows through a tree, in this case a large oak. A native of E Asia. The vine is very vigorous, with purple shoots. Wild vines can be male, female or hermaphrodite. Clusters are large with small berries and large purple seeds. It is found in the mountainous regions of Japan and up to 1300m altitude in Korea.[Wikipedia]

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Zelkova serrata

Japanese elm

Also known as keaki. It grows on a short trunk which divides into a widely spreading fan of branches, making the tree wider than it is tall. A native of Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan, it is a popular subject for the art of bonsai. There is a specimen near Osaka in Japan reputed to be 1000 years old. The tree was introduced to Britain as an ornamental in 1861; it is slightly susceptible to Dutch Elm disease.

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