The Dawes Arboretum’s tree collections include rare species and selections from all over the world. Many were collected as seeds from the wild in their native ranges and some are named selection often distinct, and rare. These trees are important for conservation, research, and education, but did you know The Arboretum also features trees of historical nature or those witness to important events? Beman Dawes, The Arboretum’s cofounder, started his own collection of “History Trees” as a visitor attraction.
Some examples include:
- Weeping Babylon willow (Salix babylonica): Planted around the grave of Napoleon Bonaparte on the island of St. Helena, our very first accessioned plant in 1918.
- Pecan trees (Carya illinoiensis): Grown from seeds of the giant tree specimen planted at a home of Sam Houston who was a leader in the Texas Revolution and later served as president of the Republic of Texas and was instrumental in Texas becoming a U.S. state.
- American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis): Grown from seeds that orbited the moon with astronaut Stuart Roosa on the 1971 Apollo 14 mission.
- A graft of one of the four English oaks (Quercus robur): Awarded to Jesse Owens at the Berlin Olympic games, one for each gold medal won in 1936. The Arboretum plans to relocate his Tree Dedication plaque to this tree because the tree Jesse dedicated in 1973 has since died.
We are actively seeking new trees with historical connotations to further enhance our collections. We recently acquired a seedling of the “Indian Signal Tree” that is said to have marked the portage path between the Cuyahoga and the Tuscarawas rivers which allowed early native peoples and settlers to traverse the state between the north and south-flowing watercourses.
Additional “History Tree” acquisitions are planned to relocate certain Tree Dedication plaques to more appropriate tree species, and to provide education and historical context regarding individuals and events from the past. These historical education opportunities are an important aspect of the mission of The Dawes Arboretum.
On your next visit to The Arboretum, explore all the unique trees, including those with dedications!