The Arboretum has survived the Summer and the drought and features a number of new sights.


New sights at the Arboretum:

1. The raised-bed organic garden is now filled with rich topsoil and a few things are planted including small raspberry bushes, a blueberry bush, rosemary, and the start of some Romanian Red garlic. Much more will come soon.

2. The butterfly/hummingbird garden is planted with lots of flowers for spring when the birds and butterflies will be abundant.

3. An additional sunny tree seedling nursery bed is started next to the organic garden and will be planted in early December with about 100 small tree seedlings. These will be ready for planting in the restoration operation about a year from now.

4. A recent exciting accidental discovery is well worth observing. To the left of the Arboretum House (as you face the house) just above the wooden steps is a newly found grove of over 40 Sparkleberry trees (Vaccinium arboreum). We were aware of about 4 large ones next to the Arboretum House but the others were almost invisible along the mini-ravine by the steps. While clearing dense brush and vines next to the steps, the others were found along with a large dogwood (Cornus florida) tree, some small sassafras (Sassafras albidum) trees and many pawpaw (Asimina triloba) trees. The sparkleberry trees are members of the blueberry family; they bear small, dark, glistening berries that birds like to eat. The trees have a lot of personality as they grow large, becoming quite gnarly and twisted. Please be very careful if you want to sit on the improvised bench under a bower of sparkleberry trees. The tiny seedlings are hard to see in the leaf litter; most of them have been marked with green flags. In early spring masses of small, bell-like white flowers will crown the larger trees.

5. Brush clearing has progressed almost down to the boardwalk in the swamp.

6. The spur path to the giant bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) in the swamp is now open for you to walk from the end of the boardwalk to the base of the tree. Enjoy the "knees", the great fluted base (to help it stand up in water-logged soil), and the carpet of emerald green rye grass, which is a weed control measure. Note the "bronzing" of all the bald cypress in the swamp. This is perfectly normal as a preparation for dropping their needles and remaining bare until April. Opposite the great tree is an large, unsightly mess of the weeds, slowly composting into badly needed rich soil. The soil will be used in the seedling tree-planting operation this fall and winter.

7. If you look very carefully from the Loop Trail coming down the steep hill from the Wilmot Gate towards the spring, you may spot two volunteer lesser sabal palms (Sabal palmetto), about 18" tall. Normally these grow in a cypress swamp, but underground springs at the two palm sites provide enough moisture. We discovered them a month ago while clearing the dense brush in this area. They should reach a height of about 8-10 feet with giant pleated fans at the top of the leaf stalk. These are related to the South Carolina state tree: the greater sabal palm. The leaf fans of the two species resemble each other, but the greater has a massive trunk and may reach 50 feet in height under good growing conditions.

8. USC's alumni newsletter, entitled InFocus, featured the Belser Arboretum on its front page this month. A single copy is available for reading at the Bloomwood welcome table by the guest book.

Wish list for the Arboretum: (any extra, unused items will be welcomed.): A bird bath for the Bird Observation center; also more bird feeders and nest boxes. A small welcome table for the Bloomwood gate. Our present one is not weatherproof and is threatening to fall apart soon. Any pieces for our future weather station: a thermometer preferably a maximum-minimum style but any will do; a weather vane or wind sock for showing wind direction.

Contributions are welcome to our new Endowment Fund. A jar will be available at each gate to accept dollar bills or any denomination you wish. We have also just received a pledge for $10,000.00 for the Arboretum!

You may also contribute to either the Spendable Account #1A3769: “W. Gordon Belser Arboretum” or the Endowed Account #811336: “The W. Gordon Belser Arboretum Endowment Fund” by contacting Mr. Christopher R. DeWolf, Sr. Director of Development, College of Arts and Sciences, Gambrell Hall, Suite 257B, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208. Phone (803) 576-5819, Fax (803) 777-4532, cdewolf@sc.edu