University of Maryland Arboretum and Botanical Garden

On June 3, the UMD Botanical Garden planted six different Coastal Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) on the back side of the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. While the species has not performed well here on campus, a cold hardy selection named 'Atlanta' has performed well here on campus and has never died back after 8 winters outdoors in nearby Greenbelt, Maryland which is often a degree or two colder in the winter than what we are here on campus.

These cultivars were purchased last fall in 1 gallon pots and arrived on October 10th, 2025 from Crowfoot Nursery in Sandy, Oregon. Today, Crowfoot Nursery listed 16 different cultivars of Coastal Redwoods for sale in their inventory. The new arrivals were immediately planted in 3 or 5 gallon containers and grown in a warm greenhouse over the winter. Over the winter, they grew about double the size they were when received. All of these cultivars are supposed to cold hardy in our United States Department of Agriculture cold hardiness zone 7b. However, two of these cultivars are supposed to be extremely hardy, having survived winter lows of -13 F in Europe.

There are some Coastal Redwoods that survived -18.4F in in 1963 when the plants were 20 years old at the Botanic Garden of the Jagiellonian University located in Krakow, Poland. That is incredible in my mind as we had the straight species on campus that died back to the ground this past winter after a low of 8F. Would love to be able to get ahold of some plants grown from cuttings of those trees at Jagiellonian University; however, I don't think that is going to happen.

Below is a photo album listing with labels of the different Coastal Redwood cultivars that were planted behind CSPAC, in the service area. The trees are listed starting at the east end of the planting, then to the west and ending at the southwest end of the planting. The plants with a bluish caste to the leaves usually turn dark green during the cold winter months.

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University of Maryland Dining Campus Pantry

Virginia Spirea (Spiraea virginiana) was planted last fall at the east end of Chestertown Hall. This is the first planting of this rare US species that we have on campus. Have seen reports of mature height being anywhere between 3 feet to 10 feet. It does appear to sucker a fair distance away from the parent plant. It is heat tolerant as it has survived summers in Nacogdoches, Texas when planted there. Dr. David Creech with Stephen F. Austin State University suggested that they be cut back to the ground every 3 years to renew them as they can get unkempt looking as they get older.

It may never be a commercial star; however, I hope we can find some appropriate spots for it on campus.

photos and post by Sam Bahr, horticulturist

Kuiken and his assistant attach Dressed to Thrill Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata 'SMNBW') to the lattice covering the wall, after planting it, on the east side of the utility enclosure on the east side of Pyon Chen Residence Hall. This Crossvine is a selection of a US native species, native to the southeastern United States as well as the state of Maryland. It is semi-evergreen and sticks much closer to a wall or supports than what its relative, the Trumpet Creeper does. Some cultivars will have minor blooming in the fall.

Other US native vines planted by Kuiken and his assistant yesterday were: Passiflora incarnata, Gelsemium sempervirens, Wisteria frutescens, Wisteria macrostachya and Campsis radicans.

Photos and post by Sam Bahr, horticulturist

Kniphofia 'Bee's Sunset' from Digging Dog Nursery was planted in the spring of 2021 in Hummingbird Alley on the south side of the Architecture Building. It is on the large size for a Kniphofia and I couldn't be happier. No rebloom from this one, but it still will always have a place in our garden. It is low care and big enough to hold its own against most weeds. It just gets bigger and better every year. We started with 3 plants in a triangular spacing. They make a nice texture addition to the bed even when it is not in bloom; however, at the moment it is stunning in my opinion.

photos by Sam Bahr, horticulturist

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This photo shows how the Virginia Cup Plant (Silphium connatum) got its name.

photo and post by Sam Bahr, horticulturist

One of our toughest roses to full sun and heat has proven to be 'Belinda's Dream' Shrub Rose. It can also thrive in part shade on the north side of a building without additional shade from trees or other structures. The flowers are extremely large, wonderfully fragrant and do not flop downwards like so many of the David Austin Roses. The David Austin roses have proven to be very disease prone in our hot, humid summer climate; however, 'Belinda's Dream' Rose is very disease tolerant and returns with a big splash of color every spring as well as in the fall.

'Belinda's Dream' Rose has an all-American heritage as it was bred by Dr. Robert E. Basye, a Texas A&M Mathematics professor. It has won an Earth Kind Rose award for its disease resistance and good performance. We let these 'Belinda's Dream' Rose grow several years before cutting them back in late spring after they already had leaves on it. I am not recommending pruning that late; however, the 'Belinda's Dream' Rose and the adjacent 'Ducher' Roses both quickly bounced back with relatively heavy bloom.

photos and post by Sam Bahr