The Conifer Glen is a great area of The Arboretum to visit this time of year. It is a hotspot for wildlife because of the shelter and food sources the trees provide. When walking through the Conifer Glen you will find a variety of colors, shapes, and textures. This Austrian pine has the rich dark green color I typically associate with conifers but there is plenty more to see!
On the bluer end of the color spectrum is the appropriately named Colorado blue spruce. This color is due to a waxy layer on the surface of the needles, especially on new growth.
With hues of yellow, the Yellow Ribbon American arborvitae also adds some interesting pops of color. Be sure to visit the Conifer Glen for some color this winter!
In natural areas around The Arboretum, you may spot bright tomato-like fruits that persist through the winter. This plant, horse nettle, may belong to the same plant family as tomatoes, but it is poisonous.
Lichens can be found year-round. They can be classified into three groups based on their shape. The first are crustose lichens. Like the name suggests, these lichens are generally a flat crust on whatever surface they are growing on sometimes looking like paint.
Foliose lichens may be the most familiar. Foliose refers to the leafy shape of these lichens. While they are most often fairly flat to the surface, the edges are able to be pulled away from what it is growing on unlike crustose lichens and it has a definitely upper and lower surface. This photo shows several species of foliose lichen.
The final category of lichens is fruticose, meaning bushy. These lichens vary a lot in appearance, but they all have a shape that is more 3D than the other two categories. As you can see from this British soldier lichen, there isn’t a clear upper and lower surface as with foliose lichens.
Goldfinches are regular year-round visitors to the Bird Watching Garden. During the breeding season, male goldfinches are an eye-catching yellow color and hard to miss. This time of year, all goldfinches share the same brownish color. Their small size and white and black banded wings help distinguish them from other birds.
-Hannah Dillemuth, Learning & Engagement Educator
