Oak Spring's Special Trees
Emily Ellis
Some of Oak Spring’s most stunning features are its trees. And every single one – whether it is hundreds of years old, or a tiny sapling – tells a story, about the people who cared for it and the plant and animal life it supports.
Oak Spring’s oldest trees helped ecologist Michael Gaige interpret the property’s ecological history in An Oak Spring Landscape, his extensive site survey from 2018 (and if you’re interesting in reading landscapes with Michael, he’s teaching a short course at Oak Spring this coming fall.) Inspired by his research, we’re highlighting several of OSGF’s most unique trees - some that stand out because of their size or age, and some that are special for other reasons. Read on to learn about them.
Old Black Gum
It may not look like much, but this tree – which overlooks Oak Spring’s Tree Shop Pond – likely germinated around the same time that the colony of Jamestown was established. Estimated to be close to 400 years old and possibly older, according to a partial ring count by Michael Gaige, it holds the distinction of being the oldest tree on the property, having survived centuries of weather events and human and animal movement (Reading the Landscape, 39.)
While black gums (Nyssa sylvatica) are not as common in the Virginia piedmont as other native hardwoods, there are a handful of the trees (also known as black tupelo or sour gum) aged at around 500 years in Fauquier and surrounding counties - relative youngsters when compared to the U.S.’s oldest known black gum in New Hampshire, which clocks in at a whopping 700 years old.
There are several reasons why these hardy trees can survive so long, and are the oldest living broadleaf species in eastern North America. They are shade tolerant, fire resistant, and their wood, which rots easily, makes for poor building material. However, they are wonderful additions to any sustainable landscape: their black berries are popular with local wildlife, and the hollows that develop in aged individuals are ideal for bee hives.
Trifoliate Oranges
Among the most noticeable trees on the Oak Spring landscape are the trifoliate or hardy oranges (Poncirus trifoliat) scattered between the library and gallery – small trees with fierce green thorns, resembling something you might find growing in a Brothers Grimm fairy tale.
A relative of citrus trees – which prefer warm climates, and are decidedly not hardy – trifoliate oranges can withstand cold winters. Their interesting twisted shape, white spring blossoms, and yellow autumn fruits make them a beautiful addition to any landscape, which is why Bunny Mellon included the carefully pruned trees on Oak Spring’s grassy hills. If you really want to embrace your inner Maleficent, you can also shape them into a dense hedge guaranteed to deter any intruder (just exercise caution if you decide to bring these plants onto your property - as some unfortunate OSGF staff members have discovered, the thorns are sharp enough to pierce through a boot.)
Native to China and popularized in U.S. gardens in the 1800s, Trifoliate Oranges are technically edible – you can make them into a marmalade, or candy the rinds – but the seedy, sour fruits are difficult to cook with. If you really want to sample them, try popping a slice into a gin and tonic; another use for the hard, downy fruits is to put them in your sock draw to give your clothing a citrusy perfume.
White Oaks
This list wouldn’t be complete without two of Oak Spring’s namesake trees. Of the many towering oaks on the property, these open-grown white oaks (Quercus alba) – one located by the Springhouse Pond, and one near Loughborough Barn, by Oak Spring’s wetlands – are two of the oldest and most magnificent.
Large and long-lived White Oaks are not only iconic to Virginia’s landscapes (the world’s largest, at 600 years old and eight feet in diameter, was located over the line in West Virginia,) but throughout the eastern and middle United States. They are an important resource to humans and animals like, their strong wood favored by carpenters and their acorns and lofty branches providing food and habitat for many wildlife species - as well as serving as reminders of our land’s long history.
Springhouse Pond Oak
OSGF Head of Communications Max Smith admires the Springhouse Pond oak.
Anyone who has visited Oak Spring has likely admired this enormous white oak, which stands over a white bench by the Springhouse Pond. A ring count by Michael Gaige reveals the tree, which is 53 inches in diameter, is around 260 years old. Its low, outstretched branches indicate it has been open-grown for most of its long life – meaning that has always been in a space clear of other trees, and without being out-shaded or crowded was able to reach its impressive size.
The tree could provide some interesting clues about Oak Spring’s history: the fact that it is open-grown indicates that someone kept the land clear since before documented settlement of the area in the late 1700s – either Native Americans, who by that point in history had mostly remained west of the Blue Ridge mountains following the 1722 Treaty of Albany, or very early European settlers (Reading the Landscape, 40). Regardless of who tended to the tree prior to Paul and Bunny Mellon’s acquisition of the property, it now creates one of the most peaceful resting spots at Oak Spring.
Wetlands Oak
OSGF Head of Arboriculture, Conservation, and Landscapes Clif Brown stands by the Wetlands Oak - the oldest white oak on the property.
The open-grown white oak may be farther off the beaten path than its cousin by the Springhouse Pond, but is no less spectacular. Growing on the side of a small slope by Oak Spring’s wetlands (behind Loughborough Barn) and hidden from view, this tree – estimated by its size to be around 300 years old - it is the largest original oak on the property, and is distinctive for its long, low-hung branches, some of which nearly touch the ground (Reading the Landscape, 156 ).
The Wetlands Oak is a textbook example of an open-grown tree, which have immeasurable value to wildlife and support their own diverse ecosytems: trees that are able to grow so large produce more fruit or nuts, and as they age and begin to decay, they create cavities that shelter a variety of organisms, from fungi to insects to mammals and birds.
The Last Darlington Oak
Bunny Mellon’s garden was her creative palette, and underwent many changes over the decades. One significant alteration was the growth (and later removal) of the squared Darlington oak Hedge in the 1960s, which used to stand to the left of the garden’s entrance.
Only one of those trees remains now, and it has grown to be a spectacular feature of the garden, providing food and habitat for many resident birds, as well as significant shade.
The Darlington Oak Hedge can be seen in the upper left corner.
Smaller and shorter-lived than other oak species (their life expectancy is, at the maximum, 70-80 years, and they can reach about 100 feet) Darlington oaks (Quercus hemisphaerica) – also called laurel oaks – are found throughout the Southern United States, distinguished by their characteristic diamond-shaped leaves. A fast-growing tree that produces large amounts of pollen, they make a wonderful addition to a garden looking to attract more wildlife.
Mary Potter Crabapple Allée
The Marry Potter crabapples on the allée begin to sprout their leaves in late March.
One of the Oak Spring Garden Foundation’s most iconic features is the arbor, or allée, leading from the formal garden to the greenhouse. Made of sixty Mary Potter crabapple trees arching over a frame, it is a testament to Bunny Mellon’s artistry and horticulture skills.
Mrs. Mellon had the arbor planted in 1960, based on information in an antique French gardening manuscript on growing arbors. And Mary Potter crabapples (malus ‘Mary Potter’) – a variety that remains stunning throughout the seasons, with heavy white blooms in the spring and red fruit in the fall – were the ideal choice.
While crabapples (the sour relative of eating apples) include about 25 species native to parts of Europe, North America, and Asia, Mary Potter crabapples are a cultivar introduced by Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum in 1947 (you can learn more about the fascinating history of the Arboretum’s malus breeding program here.) A cross between M. sargentii and the M. atrosanguinea species, it was introduced by then-arboretum director Dr. Karl Sax and named in honor of Mary Sargent Potter, the daughter of the Arboretum’s first director, Charles Sargent.
Since Mary Potter crabapples have relatively short lifespans at around 60 years, the talented gardening staff at Oak Spring Garden Foundation have already been working to graft a fleet of “backup” trees as replacements – ensuring that the beautiful arbor always remains a part of Oak Spring.
Reforestation Plots
An American Black Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), planted in March 2019 by the Arboriculture, Conservation, and Landscape department, is starting to sprout leaves.
Although they resemble leafy twigs at present, the Oak Spring Garden Foundation hopes that the thousands of native hardwoods our Arboriculture, Conservation, and Landscape team has planted over the past several years will become an important part of the landscape in the future.
Reforesting parts of the OSGF property is a way to create environments where native plant and animal wildlife can thrive, even as woodlands shrink in this rapidly developing part of the country. You can learn more about our reforestation efforts in this recent video on our Virtual Garden page.