Guest author: Jake Cammarota, 2025 Summer Horticulture Intern
Rhus typhina ‘Dissecta’ (staghorn sumac)
If you drive down Interstate 476, or any major road, from mid-fall through late winter, chances are, you’ve seen bright red cones protruding from spindly looking branches. These are the seed heads of Rhus typhina, or staghorn sumac. The staghorn sumac gets its common and latin names from the velvety hairs that cover the new stem growth in the winter, with staghorn referring to the velvet of deer horns, and typhina referring to the genus for cattails, Typha. This native plant is an adaptable species that often seeds readily in disturbed areas. While the straight species may not have the best ornamental qualities, the same can not be said for Rhus typhina ‘Dissecta’.
Found on the northwest corner of the Matchbox at the Scott Arboretum & Gardens, this cultivar has deeply cut foliage with a distinct fern-like look and turns an attractive orange, red, and yellow in the fall. After the leaves fall to the ground, the cones, which I think look like little party hats, contain red drupefruits which can be used to make sumac-ade! Sumac-ade is a drink made from the sumac drupes, that tastes fruity and tart, making the sumac a good substitute for lemons. Be careful though, an inedible plant that has similar foliage to the straight species sumac exists, but can be differentiated by white berries underneath the leaves oriented sideways from the stems (inedible), instead of red cones on top of the stems (edible).
Rhus typhina ‘Dissecta’ forms colonies through root suckers, and grows up to 15’ tall, with leaves that can be 2’ long. This versatile tree can be grown in full sun or part shade, and in a variety of soils. The staghorn sumac excels at slope stabilization thanks to its suckering habit, which is evidenced by its location on Swarthmore’s campus. The curving and arching stems topped by red cones offer winter interest and an architectural element to a garden. During the spring and summer, the large foliage and greenish-yellow cones of flowers shine and in the fall, the leaves turn bright colors, truly making this a four season plant. While the root suckering habit may be a bit aggressive, this tree is an excellent addition for a natural garden, where all of its wonderful qualities can be expressed to the fullest.
Magnolia macrophylla (bigleaf magnolia)
On my first day here at the Scott Arboretum and Gardens, I parked down the road from the Wister Center at the Cunningham Tennis Courts. As I pulled into the parking lot, I was struck by the sight of a very tropical looking plant with massive leaves right next to the tennis courts. Upon further investigation, I recognized this tree as Magnolia macrophylla or bigleaf magnolia. Aptly named, the leaves can be up to 3’ long and 1’ wide, making it the largest simple leaf native to North America! Not only are the leaves large, the stunning white flower with a beautiful scent is also the largest native flower! With both these qualities, this tree is sure to be a showstopper in any garden space. Blooming in early summer (right now!), this tree offers great shade to sit under and beautiful white flowers to look at.
Very rare in the wild, the bigleaf magnolia has few populations in the U.S., mostly found in river valleys and ravines. This beautiful specimen tree is also relatively disease and pest resistant, but it must be protected from strong winds and pollutants. Growing to 40’ tall and wide, with a beautiful excurrent, pyramidal form; this tree is a delight to have in any full sun or part shade area. Make sure to head over to the Cunningham Fields soon to see this magnificent tree!
Pinus palustris (longleaf pine)
While there may be no colorful truffula trees within the Scott Arboretum & Gardens collection, there are many plants that have a similarly fluffy look to them. One such tree is the Pinus palustris, or the longleaf pine, which can be found in the upper pinetum outside of the Dining Hall and Community Commons. At its young age on campus, this tree has longer leaves than fit its stature, making it look fluffy and soft from far away: like a green truffula.
Typically native to the Southeastern U.S., I first saw this tree in Williamsburg, Virginia, and immediately loved it. The shaggy look and weeping needles captivated me, and I did some more research on this species. These trees have a grass stage in their early life, where the needles, that can reach up to 18” in length, look like an upright grass for the first several years of its life, due to the short stem at that stage.
The species epithet palustris typically indicates a wetland tree, so this tree enjoys moist soils, but still wants good drainage. It is a full sun plant, as with most pines, and must be planted in a warm spot in our area, as we are just on the edge of its minimum growing zone. Be careful around this tree when it gets to maturity though, as it has one of the largest and heaviest cones of any pine species, and they will fall from the tree in late fall.