BARTLETT ARBORETUM
151 Brookdale Road, North Stamford, Fairfield County, Connecticut
63 acres

nature trails, landscaped gardens, visitor center, exhibition hall, ecology research lab, education center and greenhouse; courses, workshops, tours, concerts and special events

Directions:

Merritt Parkway to exit 35; right turn and travel up High Ridge Road (Route 137) to make a left turn onto Brookdale Road. The entrance is on the right.

History:

This is the former estate of Dr. Francis A. Bartlett, founder of the F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Company. Dr. Bartlett experimented on trees and the insects affecting them. The arboretum used to be a pig farm so the current natural growth is secondary forest. When Dr. Bartlett died, the area was set for development. A campaign to save the property arose and was successful. The area then became known at the University of Connecticut Bartlett's Arboretum. The facility was established in 1965 with funds from a private estate. Now the area is in transition once again with the city of Stamford taking over and with monies from the federal government helping to remake and improve the arboretum.

Facilities:

Native wildflowers, ferns, shrubs and trees. Special gardens contain conifers, rhododendrons and azaleas, a pollarded tree display, wildflowers, annuals, and perennials. The greenhouse has many flowering plants and is open to visitors daily while volunteers are working, usually from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The grounds are open free of charge every day from dawn to sunset. Guided walks are offered occasionally on Sundays through the natural woodlands and freshwater wetlands, which include an upland mixed hardwood forest, a red maple swamp, a stream and a half-acre pond. There is also a Dwarf Conifer Garden, Ericaceous Collection and small flowering trees.

Trails:

There are 5 miles of trails. A boardwalk of the Swamp Trail leads through a red maple swamp area.

PLANT LIST:
Carol Levine

Trees:
Acer platanoides (Norway maple)
Acer pseudoplatanus (sycamore maple)
Acer rubrum (red maple)
Acer saccharum (sugar maple)
Acer truncatum (maple)
Aralia spinosa (Hercules' club)
Betula alleghaniensis (yellow birch)
Betula lenta (black birch)
Carpinus caroliniana (musclewood)
Carya ovata (shagbark hickory)
Castanea dentata (American chestnut)
Cedrus libani (cedar of Lebanon)
Cercidiphyllum japonicum (Katsura tree)
Cercis canadensis (redbud)
Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Youngii" (false cypress)
Cornus florida (flowering dogwood)
Cornus kousa (kousa dogwood)
Fagus grandifolia (American beech)
Fagus sp. (fastigiate beech) and lots of varieties of beech
Fraxinus americana (white ash)
Gingko biloba (maidenhair tree)
Halesia sp. (mountain silver bell)
Ilex opaca (American holly)
Juniperus virginiana (red cedar)
Larix laricina (American larch)
Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum)
Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip tree)
Metasequoia glyptostroboides (dawn redwood)
Nyssa sylvatica (tupelo)
Oxydendrum arboreum (sourwood)
Phellodendron chinense (Chinese cork tree)
Picea abies (Norway spruce)
Picea abies ‘Mucronata' (Norway spruce)
Pinus strobus (white pine)
Pinus strobus . . . (dwarf eastern white pine)
Pinus strobus ‘Fastigiata' (fastigiate white pine)
Prunus serotina (black cherry)
Pterostyrax hispidus (epaullete tree)
Quercus alba (white oak)
Quercus rubra (red oak)
Quercus sp. (oriental oak)
Sassafras albidum (sassafras)
Sciadopitys verticillata (Japanese umbrella pine)
Sophora japonica (Japanese pagoda tree)
Stewartia koreana (Korean stewartia) 10/13/01
Taxodium distichum (bald cypress)
Thuja occidentalis (arborvitae)
Tsuga canadensis (eastern hemlock)
Zelkova serrata (Japanese zelkova)

Shrubs:
Acanthopanax sieboldianus (five fingered aralia)
Alnus serrulata (smooth alder)
Berberis thunbergii (Japanese barberry)
Calluna vulgaris (heath)
Cephalanthus occidentalis (button bush)
Chimaphila maculata (spotted wintergreen)
Clethra alnifolia (sweet pepperbush)
Cornus amomum (swamp dogwood)
Euonymus alatus (winged euonymus)
Fothergilla sp. (fothergilla)
Halesia sp. (mountain silverbell)
Hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) 10/13/01
Ilex verticillata (winterberry holly)
Kalmia latifolia (mountain laurel)
Lindera benzoin (spicebush)
Mitchella repens (partridgeberry)
Myrica pensylvanica (bayberry)
Pachysandra terminalis (pachysandra)
Pieris floribunda (Japanese andromeda)
Potentilla fruticosa (shrubby cinquefoil) 10/13/01
Rhododendron calendulaceum (flame azalea)
Rhododendron periclymenoides (pinxter flower)
Rhododendron sp. (rhododendron)
Rosa palustris (swamp rose)
Rubus flagellaris (northern dewberry)
Rubus hispidus (swamp dewberry)
Rubus phoenicolasius (wineberry)
Sambucus canadensis (common elderberry)
Stewartia koreana (Korean stewartia)
Syringa (Japanese tree lilac)
Vaccinium corymbosum (high bush blueberry)
Vaccinium spp. (blueberry)
Viburnum acerifolium (maple-leaf viburnum)
Viburnum dentatum (arrowwood viburnum)
Viburnum lentago (nannyberry viburnum)
Viburnum rafinesquianum (downy viburnum)
Vinca minor (periwinkle)

Vines:
Akebia quinquefolia (akebia)
Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (porcelain berry)
Amphicarpaea bracteata (hog peanut)
Dioscorea villosa (wild yamroot)
Euonymus fortunei (euonymus)
Hydrangea petiolaris (climbing hydrangea)
Mikania scandens (climbing hempweed)
Smilax glauca (sawbrier)
Solanum dulcamara (bittersweet nightshade)
Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy)

Herbs:
Acalypha sp. (three seeded mercury)
Aethusa cynapium (fool's parsley) 5/22/93 10/13/01
Agastache scrophulariaefolia (lavender giant hyssop)
Ajuga reptans (bugleweed) 5/14/94
Alisma sp. (water plantain)
Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard)
Allium vineale (field garlic)
Artemisia vulgaris (common mugwort)
Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed)
Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly weed)
Aster divaricatus (white wood aster) 10/13/01
Aster lanceolatus (panicled aster) 10/13/01
Aster novae-angliae (New England aster) 10/13/01
Aster sp. (calico aster?) 10/13/01
Baptisia australis (blue wild indigo)
Bidens comosa (beggar ticks)
Boehmeria cylindrica (false nettle)
Callitriche sp. (water-starwort)
Capsella bursa-pastoris (shepherd's purse)
Chelidonium majus (celandine)
Chelone glabra (white turtle head) 10/13/01
Chenopodium album (pigweed)
Chrysanthemum leucanthemum (ox-eye daisy)
Circaea lutetiana (enchanter's nightshade)
Commelina communis (Asiatic dayflower) 10/13/01
Cryptotaenia canadensis (honewort)
Daucus carota (Queen Anne's lace)
Digitalis sp. (foxglove)
Dipsacus sylvestris (teasel)
Epifagus virginiana (beech drop)
Erigeron strigosus (lesser daisy fleabane) 10/13/01
Eupatorium dubium (eastern Joe Pye weed)
Eupatorium rugosum (white snakeroot) 10/13/01
Euphorbia sp. (spurge)
Euthamia graminifolia (grass-leaved goldenrod)
Geranium maculatum (wild geranium) 5/14/95 5/22/93
Hieracium sp. (hawkweed)
Hieracium paniculatum (panicled hawkweed) 10/13/01
Impatiens capensis (orange jewelweed)
Lactuca canadensis (wild lettuce)
Laportea canadensis (wood nettle)
Lapsana communis (nipplewort)
Lemna sp. (duckweed)
Leonurus cardiaca (motherwort)
Lepidium virginicum (poor man's pepper)
Liatris sp. (blazing star)
Linaria vulgaris (butter and eggs)
Lobelia inflata (Indian tobacco lobelia) 10/13/01
Lycopus sp. (bugleweed)
Maianthemum canadense (Canada mayflower) 5/22/93
Medicago lupulina (black medick) 10/13/01
Monotropa uniflora (Indian pipe)
Oxalis sp. (yellow wood sorrel) 10/13/01
Peltandra virginica (arrow arum)
Physostegia sp. (obedience plant) cultivated
Phytolacca americana (pokeweed)
Pilea pumila (clearweed)
Plantago major (common plantain)
Polygonum cespitosum (cespitose smartweed) 10/13/01
Polygonum hydropiperoides (mild water pepper) 10/13/01
Polygonum virginianum (Virginia knotweed)
Portulaca oleracea (common purslane)
Potentilla canadensis (dwarf cinquefoil) 5/14/94
Prenanthes spp. (lettuce)
Proserpinaca palustris (mermaidweed)
Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima (black-eyed Susan) 10/13/01
Rumex obtusifolius (broad dock)
Satureja vulgaris (wild basil)
Senecio vulgaris (common groundsel) 10/13/01
Silene armeria (sweet William catchfly) 10/13/01
Solidago bicolor (silverrod) 10/13/01
Solidago caesia (blue-stemmed goldenrod) 10/13/01
Solidago canadensis var. canadensis (Canada goldenrod)
Solidago rugosa (rough stem goldenrod)
Symplocarpus foetidus (skunk cabbage)
Taraxacum officinale (common dandelion)
Thalictrum pubescens (tall meadowrue)
Trifolium pratense (red clover)
Tussilago farfara (coltsfoot)
Verbascum thapsus (common mullein)
Verbena urticifolia (white vervain)
Veronica officinalis (common speedwell)

Rushes:
Juncus tenuis (path rush)

Sedges:
Carex laxiflora type (sedge)
Carex stricta (tussock sedge)
Cyperus strigosus (umbrella flat sedge)

Grasses:
Bouteloua curtipendula (side oats grass)
Cinna arundinacea (woodland reed grass)
Digitalis sp. (crab grass)
Eleusine indica (zipper grass)
Panicum virgatum (switch grass)
Schizachyrium scoparium (little blue stem grass)
Setaria glauca (yellow foxtail grass)
Setaria viridis (green foxtail grass)

Ferns and Fern Allies:
Lycopodium digitatum (ground cedar)
Lycopodium obscurum (ground pine)
Dennstaedtia punctilobula (hay-scented fern)
Dryopteris cristata (crested woodfern)
Matteuccia struthiopteris (ostrich fern)
Osmunda claytoniana (interrupted fern)
Osmunda regalis (royal fern)
Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas fern)
Thelypteris noveboracensis (New York fern)

Other:
Sphagnum sp. (sphagnum moss)

BARTLETT ARBORETUM
June 4, 1938

Seven members and guests were present on this, the Club's first scheduled trip to the Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories. The trip was made possible through the kindness and hospitality of Dr. Stanley W. Bromley, assistant entomologist on the laboratories' staff. Doctor Bromley explained the history and purposes of the laboratories and personally conducted us through the study laboratories and grounds, arboretum and gardens, explaining the landscape planting experiments, fertilizer investigations, investigation on blight-resistant chestnuts, insect and disease control tests, tree working equipment, tree-shaping and pruning experiments, etc.

The characteristics of scores of injurious insects were explained, and their life histories and the marks of their work on host plants. The grounds comprise 200 acres and contain over 800 different species and varieties of trees and shrubs, including a wonderful collection of nut trees -- walnuts, hazelnuts, filberts, pecans, etc.

Among the interesting trees and shrubs studied were the
Alnus hirsuta var. sibirica tree alder
Aralia japonica angelica tree
Fraxinus quadrangulata (blue ash)
Fraxinus ornus (flowering ash)
Fraxinus mandshurica (Manchurian ash)
Fraxinus grifithi
Fraxinus holotricha
Betula japonica var mandshurica (Japanese birch)
Cedrus atlantica var glauca (blue Atlas cedar)
Phellodendron chinense (Chinese corktree)
Poncirus trifoliata (Chinese orange)
Chamaecyparis wesseli (Wessel's cypress)
Ulmus japonica (Japanese elm)
Ulmus alata (winged elm)
Dirca palustris (leatherwood)
Pseudolarix amabilis (golden larch)
Viburnum lentago (nannyberry)
Quercus dentata (Japanese oak)
Quercus (Spanish oak)
Quercus phellos (willow oak)
Diospyros virginiana (persimmon)
Asimina triloba (papaw)
Liquidambar formosana (Formosan sweetgum)
Cunninghamia lanceolata (China fir)
Gleditsia triacanthos var inermis (thornless honey locust)
Juglans sieboldiana var cordiformis (Japanese heartnut)
Pinus sylvestris var watereri (upright Scotch pine)
Pinus flexilis (limber pine)
Pinus jeffreyi (Jeffrey pine)
Pinus koraiensis (Korean pine)
Pinus ponderosa (western yellow pine)
Pinus lambertiana (sugar pine)
Picea jezoensis (Yeddo spruce)
Picea omorika (Serbian spruce)
Picea wilsoni (Wilson spruce)
Abies balsamea
Abies amabilis
Abies firma
Abies holophylla

Other interesting trees and shrubs included
Crataegus lauta
Elsholtzia stauntoni
Evodia chinensis
Juniperus horizontalis
Maackia amurensis var buergeri
Zelkova serrata
Acer cissifolium
Acer diabolicum
Acer ginnala
Acer sieboldianum var microphyllum

Hybrids of the filbert (Corylus avellana) and the famous Bartlett chestnut (hybrid of Castanea mollissima) were studied, as well as the "hickan," a hybrid between the pecan and hickory. In the beautiful rock garden and iris garden hundreds of interesting herbaceous plants were seen, mostly in full bloom. Some attention was also paid to the remarkable glossy-leaved violet developed as a ground cover at the laboratories.

H. N. Moldenke

April 21, 1940

In spite of the extremely inclement weather, several hardy members of the Club and their guests enjoyed an interesting and profitable day at the Bartlett Tree Research laboratories, where Dr. Stanley W. Bromley, assistant entomologist of the laboratories' staff, was our genial host and guide. Most of the time was spent indoors in an examination of hundreds of specimens of local insects in all stages and a collection of bark, limbs, and twigs showing the various types of injury by different insects to native and cultivated trees and shrubs.

Dr. Bromley answered a multitude of questions on methods of insect pest and fungous disease control and explained the work which has been done on such important diseases as the chestnut blight and Dutch elm disease, including a fascinating exposition of the spread of the latter as explained by local, air currents which carry the disease-bearing beetles in the same manner as they were made to carry experimental balloons. A most valuable and beautiful collection of paper-thin sections of the wood of several hundred trees and shrubs was examined. Dr. Bromley illustrated the effects of the 1939 hurricane in this area and allowed us to examine branches taken from oak trees after the hurricane, on which the leaves had actually been knotted together! This curious and at first almost unbelievable effect had been produced by the wind twirling the leaves so continuously that only the fibro-vascular bundles were left in the petioles. The large and practically intact blades were then wrapped about each other by the wind, causing the fibrous "petioles" in some cases actually to become braided or knotted.

Harold N. Moldenke

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