Dartmouth Tree Walk Tour #2: UMASS Dartmouth Campus Preview

Park Here

Gather Here

This is the starting point for the walk.

Allée of Small-leaved Lindens

3. Allée of Small-leaved Lindens (Tilia cordata)This allée of 17 Lindens was designed to draw the viewer into the center of campus. Lindens are commonly used for allées, a line of trees bordering a byway. Here, they are planted 33 feet apart. The fragrant flowers of a Linden are a favorite source of nectar for honey bees.

Council Ring

5. Council Ring. Council Rings are a distinctive feature of various tribal communities in North America. The CouncilRing at UMD, built by faculty and students, was influenced by Danish-American landscape architect Jens Jensen, who designed the one at the Lincoln Memorial Garden. To Jensen, these stone circles were emblematic of the Viking traditions of his Danish ancestors and Native American egalitarianism. When a group sits on these stones in a continuous circle, there is no head-of- table, no hierarchy, just affirmation that all members of the community are equal.

Grove of Eastern White Pine

6. Grove of Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)Here are examples of some of the beautiful, mature White Pines that you’ll see in different areas throughout the campus that were saved during the excavation and building of the campus. The White Pine grows quickly and is considered the tallest tree in the eastern U.S.

American Beech

7. American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) Planted in 1997, this tree was donated by Howard Bridgman, a professor of sociology. It is now impacted by Beech Leaf Disease (BLD), caused by a nematode, which can lead to reduced vigor and possibly death. (Notice its wizened leaves.) BLD, first identified in Ohio in 2012, was first detected in Massachusetts in Plymouth County in 2020 and unfortunately has spread widely.

Trees at The Bus Stop 

9. Trees at The Bus Stop (#A, #B, #C below) In 1996, the concrete container at the Bus Stop was transformed by Jim Sears and his students from a “Giant Ashtray,” filled with cigarette butts and garbage, into a beautiful “Island Planter” filled with small trees.9A. Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Viridis‘ (green)) These 2 mushroom shaped small trees have finely dis-sected leaves. They are a sumptuous green in summer & turn deep yellow with hints of orange in fall. One of the best-known Japanese Maples, suitable for many gardens.9B. Hinoki False Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Gra-cilis’ (slender)) A tree with glossy, dark green sprays of foliage and arching, irregularly arranged branches with a graceful pyramidal habit. A slow grower, it reaches 6 feet in 10 years.9C. Threadleaf or Sawara False Cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera filifera) Long, fine foliage on drooping, whip or cord-like branches with an irregular mounding shape, this tree provides a compelling garden accent. Its fresh green scale-like foliage in spring take on softer tones in winter, complementing the reddish-brown bark, exfoliating in thin strips.

Trees in Little Island

10. Trees in Little Island, a later addition to the Centennial Garden (#A, #B below)10A. Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick (Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’) This hazelnut tree is characterized by its fantastically twisted and contorted branches that are especially appreciated in the winter months. It was named after Sir Harry Lauder, a comedian and singer in the early 1950s known for appearing in public in traditional Scottish dress with a twisted walking stick.10B. European Purple Beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea’) A stately and very large deciduous tree that grows 50-60’ tall. Superb shade tree usually found in parklands or large lawns. Smooth gray bark of trunk looks like elephant hide. Lustrous foliage ranges from coppery to dark purple, usually turning copper red in fall.

Gold Threadleaf False Cypress

11. Gold Threadleaf False Cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera filifera ‘Aurea’) This is a golden version of the Sawara Cypress in #9C, distinguished by thread-like golden foliage on drooping branches. Suitable as a specimen or accent in a border, providing a lovely color contrast to green plants. These two beautiful specimens were later additions to the Centennial Garden.

American Linden

12. American Linden (Tilia americana) This big-leaved Linden (as opposed to small-leaved Lindens, #3) is also called Basswood. A large deciduous tree, it grows fast to 50-80 ft., with large heart-shaped leaves. Small pale yellow flowers bloom late spring and attract bees in huge numbers.

Bell Tower:  Allē of Cherries

13. Allée of Yoshino Cherries (Prunus x yedoensis) aka “The Cherry Cloud.” At the tall bell tower, look due west and you’ll see this allée of 31 Yoshino cherry trees. They were a gift from Lloyd MacDonald, a longtime Dartmouth resident. When he planted them in 1991 along with other ornamental fruit saplings, his idea was to begin a nursery to learn which types might thrive. Some species didn’t thrive, but the Yoshino and Kwanzan Cherries (#14) did very well. The Yoshinos were transplanted to the UMD Campus 18 years later. Each root ball was 4’x7’ & weighed over 1.5 tons! Many of the famous cherry trees in Washington D.C. near the Lincoln Memorial are Yoshinos, originally a gift from Japan in 1912.

Kwanzan Japanese Flowering Cherries

14. Kwanzan Japanese Flowering Cherries (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan') A very popular ornamental cherry with double, deep pink flowers in spring making quite the show. Foliage is lustrous dark green in summer then a soft bronzy-red in fall. Shiny striated reddish bark shows off in the winter sun.