Although I see a different garden every day, MEMBG visitors often ask me, "Is there anything new in the garden?" What they usually mean is, "Are there any new plant additions to the collection?" In botanical-garden terms, they're asking about "planting out"--the process of putting new plants into the garden.
Whenever we receive a plant that is intended as a new introduction for the garden, we first log it into a record book, carefully making note of its planned location based on cultural needs, taxonomic information, and place of origin. This job is relatively easy if the plant arrives in our hands with a verified scientific name. If not, we have to wait until the plant flowers so that Dr. Barry Prigge, the herbarium assistant at MEMBG, can try to identify the specimen. (Although you might think that this should be easy for a professional, I would suggest that you reserve judgment until you have tried it!) Once we have a confirmed name, we can track down or at least speculate about cultural information. If we cannot confirm a name, we usually make assumptions based on the cultural requirements of other plants of similar origins and growing conditions. If nothing else, we rely on taxonomic relationships-which can be quite diverse within a family and even at the genus level.
The next step is preparation of the site. Sometimes very little needs to be done, as is the case with natives, but most plant-outs require considerable labor due to the exotic conditions under which the plants evolved. We may need to amend the soil, for example, or install a special irrigation system. If the soil requires a major overhaul, we like to water the prepared site well and let it rest a minimum of several weeks to settle. This period of rest also allows time for mycorrhizal fungi and bacteria--organisms that are an essential part of all growth in natural environments--to colonize the soil. Whenever you use a high-quality compost or humus, you are inoculating your planting area with these organisms. VAM (Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi) inoculants are also available commercially. If you choose this route, however, be sure to select the inoculant that is appropriate for your specific planting type (such as nursery beds, flower beds, palms, or sod)!
Once we've prepared the site, we are ready to put the plant into the ground. This is the most enjoyable part of the process, and takes the least time. After planting, which includes a good watering-in, we document the plant's new site, using a compass and measuring tape, to the nearest designated reference point in the section. We then log this information into the garden's permanent computer records.
As you can see, "The Simple Act of Planting a Tree" is not so simple after all!
Our new plant-outs for 1998 include several tender trees and herbaceous perennial species. I've listed some by area below so that you, too, can watch them grow.
Triangle (outside the garden fence, north of Le Conte and east of Tiverton)
Cercis occidentalis (small tree under 7 m)
Eucalyptus regnans (tree to 100 m)
Psoralea pinnata (shrub to 2 m)
Main Road
Ceiba aesculifolia (tree with spines on trunk)
Heliconia schiediana, H. caribaea
Musa textilis (manila hemp banana)
The Nest
Clerodendrum thomsoniae (twining shrub to 4 m)
Tram Path (sloping to main road from cycad lawn)
Carica papaya (yummy papaya)
Inner Hilgard (lower Australian section)
Tectona grandis (teak tree to 70 m)
Outer Hilgard
Azadiracta indica (neem tree)
Dimocarpus longan (longan tree to 40 m)
Moringa oleifera (tree to 8 m)
Paulownia tomentosa (princess flower tree to 20 m)
Outer Tiverton
Caesalpinia kauaiense (Hawaiian endemic tree)
Delonix regia (flamboyant tree to 10 m)
Erythrina sandwicensis (the endemic Hawaiian coral tree)
Ravenala madagascariensis (travelers palm to 15 m)
Our year-to-date totals for 1998 are 187 new plant-outs, and 112 new species. Now, back to our original question, "Is there anything new in the garden?" The answer is yes!
Rand Plewak
Garden Manager