Nearby ( off Chestnut Avenue on Petunia Path ) is another rarity . Quercus dentata , known as the Daimyo Oak or Japanese Emperor Oak , also happens to have a cut-leaf cultivar called ‘ Pinnatifida ’, and this is the specimen that came to us in 1976 . Sadly , we never recorded its source . It will get tall , but ever so slowly . After almost 50 years , this spindly tree is only about 30 feet tall . But the leaves , nearly a foot long , make you think it ’ s anything but an oak . If you want to compare it to what the species normally looks like , we have a specimen of Quercus dentata on Fir Avenue , near Greenbriar Path . In Japan , the acorns have some culinary uses , being ground into a flour ( but only after the oak tannin has been leached out ). The tree also offers considerable wildlife value and serves as a host plant for seven different species of butterflies . The cut-leaf cultivar is now starting to get noticed in the nursery trade , but rarely will you see a specimen so large in this part of the world .
Right : Quercus dentata ‘ Pinnatifida ’ ( Daimyo Oak ) off of Petunia Path
Above : Our plant labels are an excellent resource for anyone who wants to learn more about our collections , be sure to check out some of your favorite trees on your next walk !
Above : Magnolia x soulangeana ‘ Lennei ’ ( Saucer Magnolia ) offers a vibrant pop of color in the spring .
On Indian Ridge Path , opposite the Longfellow lot , is another exceptional tree , Magnolia × soulangeana ‘ Lennei ’ ( Saucer Magnolia cultivar ). It is a stunning ornamental tree with large goblet-shaped flowers that display a deep purple on the outside and pure white on the inside . These flowers appear in May , with some sporadic flowering thereafter . The visual impact of this specimen and its vibrant , weighty flowers make it a favorite among staff and visitors traversing the newly renovated Ridge in the spring when birdwatching is at its peak . The hugely popular Magnolia × soulangeana is a hybrid between two Chinese species ( Magnolia denudata and M . liliflora ); it originated in France in the early 1800s thanks to Chevalier Etienne Soulange-Bodin , for whom it is named . This particular cultivar was once very popular in the United States , but for reasons that have eluded me , it is no longer offered by nurseries , though it is still popular in Europe .
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