(Plants in Bloom during June)

American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)

June 23 - 30

American Beech is a common tree found at the Arboretum. It is identified by its smooth gray bark; alternate, serrate leaves with straight, parallel veins, each ending at a tooth on the leaf margin; and elongate, pointed buds on the twigs. The yellow (turning to brown) leaves in the fall persist throughout the winter. A large beech tree is found along Marsh Road, on the left just past the Magnolia Orchard.

The tree flowers in April. Developing beechnuts can be seen now on the Marsh Road tree. When mature in the fall, the spiny fruit husk (bur) contains two (sometimes three) nuts, which are eaten by many birds and mammals. Beech wood is used for many purposes, such as flooring, furniture, plywood, railroad ties, and firewood. Beech mast is not produced every year but rather at intervals of 2 to 8 years.

Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)

Mid to Late June

A small to medium-sized tree, Sourwood is found along many Arboretum trails. As a member of the Ericaceae Family, it is related to such plants as blueberries, rhododendrons, and azaleas. The white, bell-shaped flowers are borne in terminal one-sided clusters and become conspicuous in June. The fruits persist on the flower stalks often into the fall and winter. Because the flowers are often near the top of the trees, they may be difficult to see under a forest canopy. A good place to observe these trees in bloom is in a study plot of Sourwood just below the Elmore Holly Collection.

The ridged and often deeply furrowed bark of Sourwood is readily identified especially in older trees where it becomes blocky. In the fall, the leaves turn bright red. The tree’s common name comes from the sour taste of the leaves and twigs. Leaves and bark of Sourwood were used by Native Americans and early settlers to treat a variety of ailments such as mouth ulcers, asthma, indigestion, and kidney and bladder ailments. Sourwood honey is a favorite of many.

Red Mulberry (Morus rubra)

June 6 - 20

Red Mulberry is usually a small tree that can be found along several Arboretum trails — Scarboro Creek Road, the Cemetery Ridge Trail, and the Backwoods Trail. A large Red Mulberry tree is present just below the Director’s House along the Valley Road.

Red Mulberry is widespread in the Eastern U.S., but it is disappearing in parts of New England and Michigan, possibly due to bacterial disease. It occurs as scattered individuals in a variety of moist forest habitats and along fence rows and roads. In June you can find Red Mulberry fruits ripening. When mature, the black fruits resemble elongated blackberries and are favorite foods for many birds and small mammals such as squirrels, opossums, and raccoons. The juicy fruits have been used for jams, pies, and wines. The decay-resistant wood has been used for fence posts, furniture, and farm implements. Native Americans used the bark to make fibrous cloth. They also used the plant to treat dysentery and as a laxative or purgative. Un-ripened fruits and the milky sap are poisonous.

Cumberland Azalea (Rhododendron cumberlandense)

June 1 - 14

A showy example of Cumberland Azalea is in full bloom near the Visitors Center this week. The two plants here were transplanted from the Cumberland Plateau several years ago.

Cumberland Azalea is similar to the Flame Azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum) found at higher elevations in the Smokies and along the Blue Ridge Parkway. These two species along with other azaleas form hybrid swarms on Gregory Bald in the Smokies. The orange to red flowers of Cumberland Azalea are smaller than those of Flame Azalea and appear after the leaves are fully expanded. This species is found in Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Northern Georgia and Alabama.

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May Featured Plants
April Featured Plants

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No collecting of plant materials is permitted at the UT Arboretum.