The Newest Addition

Robinsonella cordata
A recent introduction to the Arboretums plant collections is Robinsonella cordata, a beautiful species from Mexico. Three years ago in Santa Barbara I was with a friend who introduced me to this fascinating tree growing in Orpet Park. I obtained a rooted cutting and about a year and a half ago planted it on the east berm of the newly developed Subtropical Garden at the south end of the Arboretum. In cultivation it grows to 25 feet with a well-rounded canopy. From February through April it is smothered in a haze of lilac-blue flowers. Costa Rica. It is not known in the Yucatan peninsula. It is one of the few tree form genera in the Hibuscus Family (Malvaceae) from subtropical North America. Robinsonella seems to be allied to the well known genus Abutilon in that both have a simpler capsule morphology and arborescent growth habit.
AWESOME CHIPPER By Glen Williams For the last three years a Vermeer 625A Chipper has been on the Arboretum Wish List. Now, thanks to Eunice Harris, it has become a valuable addition to the gardens equipment. This top-of-the-line chipper is equipped with all the current safety equipment as well as auto-feed, which keeps the engine from stalling if too much material is fed into it. This chipper can quickly turn a limb up to 6 inches in diameter into a small
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Garden Showcase
Now in its 30th year, the Green Scene Garden Show presents the biggest and best plant sale and garden resource in California with over 100 top quality exhibitors. The Potting Shed will feature the Salvia Spectacular with over 100 varieties for your garden. The Gift & Garden Shop has one-of-a-kind garden items from all over the world.
Robinsonella cordata
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The genus Robinsonella, named for Dr. B.L. Robinson, curator of the Gray Herbarium, currently consists of 14 species whose natural distribution ranges from the states of Durango and Tamaulipas, Mexico, southward to central

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Robinsonella cordata
The genus was first described in 1897 in a publication of the Arnold Arboretum called Garden and Forest: A Journal of Horticulture, landscape Art and Forestry which provided news about botanical discoveries and advances in North America. At the time, only two Mexican species were known, R. cordata and R. divergens. In the original description there is an interesting account by the discoverer, Mr. Pringle. He wrote on March 15, 1897: I saw only two plants. One was a shrubby plant on the rocky bluff of a canyon (and only one seen from the railroad train), the other was the tree, about twenty-five feet high, from which I took specimens, then coming into flower. I got nothing to show the character of the fruit. I climbed into the top of this tree, and remember it as of upright habit with a trunk of about a foot. It cannot be abundant in the vicinity of Oaxaca, for I traveled thereabouts extensively and saw only the single specimen growing on the slope of Sierra de San Felipe, some seven miles above the city. In April 1906, the famous botanist Carl Purpus refers in correspondence with fellow botanist Towndsend Brandegee to the beautiful genus Robinsonella: a tree or shrub with a profusion of white sweet scented flowers. I suspect he is referring to a white flowered cultigen of the species Robinsonella speciosa. In another letter dated June 1907, Purpus writes to Brandegee that he has sent collected seeds of Robinsonella to Europe, but that he has also taken cuttings from the plant which he hopes will grow. Edwin Menningers Flowering Trees of the World for Tropical and Warm Climates, published in 1962, includes Robinsonella cordata in his list of the 500 most beautiful trees in the world. According to Menninger, the first flowering of the species in southern California occurred in 1953 at the John Harris residence in Los Angeles. Apparently Los Angeles flower lovers were wild when they discovered that no plants were available and that they would have to wait until nurserymen could grow some! This tree flowered continuously through February and March of that year, tolerating severe drying winds that undoubtedly shortened the period of bloom. In Paul Fryxells 1973 monograph on the genus, he notes that two trees were observed in cultivation: one in Pacific Palisades on the rustic canyon property of Ira Hilgers, and the other on the University of California, Berkeley campus. (There is currently no record of this plant in the universitys online data base.) On your next walk through the Arboretum, be sure to take a look at this little know yet spectacular tree.

S H O W Exhibitors feature plants for every garden. Rare fruit trees, grasses, orchids, natives, tomato and vegetable plants are just a few of the delights in store. Statuary and garden art will be displayed as well as quality tools, garden furniture and other innovative products. Returning again this year is the Nishiki Koi Clubs Young Koi Show held on the south lake lawn. Participants show hundreds of top quality koi and offer a wealth of supplies for water gardening. Dont miss the Koi Auction Sunday at 1 p.m. join in on the lively bidding. Childrens gardening activities, Heritage House Floral Tours, food and more make for a wonderful weekend in our beautiful garden. See you there!

Members Preview New this year, members will be admitted Saturday at 9 a.m. for first pick of the plants. The public will enter at 10 a.m. Memberships will be sold at the gate starting at 8 a.m. As an added bonus, members will also be admitted free throughout the weekend. The Friday night preview has been discontinued allowing the exhibitors ample time for setup.

Gardening Has Never Been So Much Fun!

Arboretum Adventures Camp 2009

Hello, I am Bud the Great Egret! Summer is coming! Its time to make plans to join me for science camp fun in July. Last year Kids investigated my pond and found many different animal friends living there. They looked for spider webs and learned about the arachnids that constructed the webs. Other favorite activities included hunting for bugs, dissecting flowers, and even making rope. They created art works using leaves and flower parts. Each Friday campers made slushies using the power of chemistry to freeze the solution. What fun! Ask your parents to check below for more information. I hope to see you at the Arboretum this summer. Bud P.S. Spiders are called arachnids because they belong to a class of arthropods called Arachnida. They have four pairs of legs and breathe through lung sacs or breathing tubes. Come to camp and learn m

Campers 7 to 12 investigate plant and animal habitats from around the world without ever leaving Fullerton.
Where: Fullerton Arboretum Time: 9am 12noon daily, M-F When: July 7 August 1 Cost: $110 per camper per week. $100 for Friends members, University/Arboretum staff Special sessions for 6-year-olds (must have completed kindergarten) are July 7-11 and July 21-25 (call for details). Enrollment forms are available at the Arboretum or through the mail. For further information or to receive a registration form, please call (714) 278-3407. The Childrens Saturday Gardening Program is in full swing and are we having fun! In January we had a Salsa Garden Harvest Party! The children harvested cilantro, tomatoes, peppers, onions, radishes that were the size of a sweet potato, and more. Instructor Rhoda Fehrenbach made fresh guacamole and everyone enjoyed corn chips with Garden Fresh Salsa! We hope to see you at our spring classes! Plans include the Native American Garden, Pumpkin Patch Planting, the Rainbow Garden, the Pizza Garden and Bug Safaris for children of all ages. Try our Salsa Recipe: Fresh Garden Salsa 3 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped 1/2 cup sliced green onions (use both the white/green parts) 1/2 cup chopped green pepper 2 to 3 tablespoons lime or lemon juice 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 3 to 4 cloves crushed garlic 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional) 1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeno chilies (optional) Mix all ingredients. Serve with an array of colorful corn chips or fresh veggies. OLE!

Around the
EVENTS
March 8 Award-Winning Home Composting Workshop II Saturday, 10 11:30 a.m. Review the basics of this beneficially ecological system with Dr. Bill Roley, president, Applied Ecological Systems, and Patrick McNelly, senior administrative analyst, O.C. Sanitation District. Fee is $7 per person, $5 to members. Free to residents of sponsoring cities: Brea, Buena Park, Fullerton, La Habra, Orange and Santa Ana. Please call to reserve your space (714)278-3579, ext. 0. March 13 16 Monster Tomato Plant Sale in the Potting Shed Thursday & Friday, 10 a.m. 3 p.m. Saturday & Sunday, 10 a.m. 4 p.m. Pick from more than 80 varieties of heirloom and hybrid tomato plants. And over 50 varieties of peppers! March 22 & 29 Botanical Watercolor Painting Workshop Series Saturday, 10 a.m. 1 p.m. Two-session workshop designed to introduce the techniques of botanical watercolor painting for both beginning and advanced students with botanical artist Mindy Cherri (formerly Jaress). Fee is $75 which includes watercolor paper, pencil and palette with brush. Fee is $50 for one session only. Pre-registration required by calling (714)278-3579, ext. 0. April 5 Trees 101 Saturday, 9 10:30 a.m. Monkeys hand, Ombu, and dragons blood, all these enticing words have to do with the wonderful world of trees. Join Chris Branhill, Arboretum plant collections curator, for a slide presentation and an exciting adventure exploring the history, diversity and beauty of the trees at the Arboretum. Fee is $7 per person, $5 to members. April 8 & 15 Spring Break Hikes Tuesday, 10 11 a.m. Bring the kids to the Arboretum for a spring hike. Along the way, the Nature Guides will tell tales of bats pollinating plants, why you dont want to get too close to the female Ginkgo tree, or why the Bunya-Bunya tree is called the widowmaker. Hikes are geared to the group all ages welcome. Fee is $3 per person. April 12 Birds & Butterflies 101 Saturday, 9 10:30 a.m. Dr. Don Bauman and Diane Nielen, bird and butterfly aficionados give a captivating slide presentation and guide participants on a walkabout in the garden. Fee is $7 per person, $5 to members. April 18 Arbor Day Tree Planting Friday, 11:15 a.m. April 26 27 30th Annual Green Scene Garden Show & Nishiki Clubs Young Koi Show Saturday, 10 a.m. 5 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. 4 p.m. Members Preview, Saturday, 9 a.m. Largest outdoor plant sale and garden resource in California. More than 100 exhibitors, Salvia Spectacular in The Grounds Needs: Irrigation for the Citrus Collection $15,000 Kubota Backhoe Attachment to dig holes $7,000 Staffing Needs: $12,000 Support the RIO (Rehabilitation Institute of Orange County) program for one year. The valuable crew of four keeps the paths neatly raked and the trash cans emptied. They water and help the garden staff with cleanup. Childrens Garden Needs: Irrigation $1,000 Pumpkins $500 Tiller $400 Tool Shed $300 Garden Tools $250 List includes items of immediate need. If you wish to help, please make check payable to the Fullerton Arboretum. Call Greg Dyment for further information 278-3250.

chipper cover pile of wood chips that can be spread over the garden. Last year before we got the chipper we removed some lower limbs on the Ficus trees to allow better views of new planting. The brush filled a weeks worth of dumpsters and the garden gained no real benefits. Recently we used the chipper to trim about the same amount from the Ficus area, used the small pile of chips to spread on the garden and finished the same day. What an amazing difference! Speaking for the entire garden staff I say thank you very, very much Ms. Harris!

Arboretum
Potting Shed, expert speakers, Heritage House Floral Tours and childrens gardening activities. Admission $6; free to children 12 and under; free to members. May 10 Mrs. Ps Pressed Flower Workshop Saturday, 10 a.m. Noon Botanical Artist Lynn Pitts will demonstrate the art of pressing flowers and guide participants in creating four take-home projects in class. Instruction, special flower, and a list of the best botanicals to press are included. Fee is $35 which includes materials. Pre-registration required by calling (714)278-3579, ext. 0. May 17 Herb Sense Saturday, 10 11:30 a.m. Sharpen your senses with the pungent power of herbs with Rita Corpin, president of the Orange County Herb Society. Edible flowers, culinary uses and the best herbs to grow are explored. Fee is $7 per person, $5 to members. May 17 & 18 Its an Herb Weekend Saturday & Sunday, 10 a.m. 4 p.m. Large selection of herbs and herb related items offered in The Potting Shed & Gift Shop. June 7 Award-Winning Home Composting Workshop I Saturday, 10 11:30 a.m. Discover how easy it is to start your own composting system with informative and entertaining experts, Dr. Bill Roley, president, Applied Ecological Systems, and Patrick McNelly, senior administrative analyst, O.C. Sanitation District. Fee is $7 per person, $5 to members. Free to residents of sponsoring cities: Brea, Buena Park, Fullerton, La Habra, Orange and Santa Ana. Please call to reserve your space (714)278-3579, ext. 0. June 13 Friends annual Meeting & Reception Friday, 6 p.m. June 14 Alluring Plumeria Saturday, 10 - 11:30 a.m. Curtis Hayes of the South Coast Plumeria Society will show you how to grow this exotic tropical tree with its showy cluster of fragrant flowers in your own garden. George Crouchet will feature a demonstration of a Hawaiian lei. Fee is $7 per person, $5 to members. July 12 6th Annual Midsummer Night in the Garden Saturday, 6 p.m. Some Enchanted Evening Black-Tie Dinner Dance and Auction. Tickets $100. For information or and invitation, please call (714)278-4790. July 7 August 1 Arboretum Adventure Camp 2003 Campers 6 to 12 years old investigate plant and animal habitats from around the world.

Childrens Classes
Saturdays 9:30 10:30 a.m. Saturday Gardening Classes for young people offer a variety of handson projects designed to introduce children to gardening and the natural environment. Each class offers new and exciting activities. Reservations are requested for groups of four or more by calling (714)278-3579, ext. 0. Fee is $3 per child per class. Story Time in the Garden Young Gardeners Ages 3-5 March 8, April 5, May 10 & June 7 Children learn to garden through storytelling, planting and harvesting the Childrens Garden. Take-home plant is included. Parent or grandparent participation is required. Arboretum Entomologists Ages 8 and Older March 29 & June 14 Young people participate in a garden adventure, discovering, exploring, and investigating the world of insects and underground creatures. Hands-on activities include observation and catch and release. Parent participation is not required, but welcome. Junior Gardeners 6-9 March 22, April 12 & May 17 Children participate in planting and harvesting the Pizza Garden. This garden in the round doesnt come from typical straight-row vegetable gardening but sprouts in a giant-sized wheel that looks like a kids favorite food: Pizza! Parent and grandparent participation is not required, but welcome.