The USC Belser Arboretum will hold an Open House November 16, 2008 from 1-4 pm. Fall color is spectacular and the weather fine. Come and enjoy the peace and tranquility. The special feature this month will be a short hike to the newly found cranefly orchids and to the newly planted Atlantic white cedar in the cypress swamp. Both species are rare and highly interesting.


New Projects underway and completed:

Work goes forward on final details of the Outdoor Classroom: wood staining and floor. The classroom has been well-used already in its first month of existence. Faculty and students seem well pleased with its open air features

Dry-wall is nearing completion inside the Arboretum House and and we anticipate having the facility in use in another month or two as a library/museum.

An overhaul of our self-guiding trail signs has been completed, including refinishing the slates and producing new signs. Instrumental in getting this big job completed were the elegant computer work of Valerie Marcil and the patient sanding and gluing of a Biology graduate student, Sierra Jones.

The main project of the month has been a race to complete the brush clearing of the arboretum before leaf fall makes more difficult without leaves for identification. In clearing the upper east section of the Arboretum, it has been necessary to remove most of the Southern Magnolia trees. This species is not endemic to the SC piedmont and the tree is a very strong, aggressive grower. An appealing small tree in only several years can become a giant tyrant with 80 foot height and width, which shade and eliminate native seedlings such as the desired oak, hickory, and understory trees. In the process of clearing English ivy, catbriar and many weeds, the Arboretum staff was delighted to discover large patches of cranefly orchid. We are hopeful that the wild ginger and cranefly orchid will become the understory of the upland hardwood forest.

The transition of the former Harvest Garden to Year Garden continues. REMEMBER! A $20 or more gift to the Arboretum Endowment at the Open House is rewarded with a beautiful garden plant; this month’s is a blooming mature curly rosemary plant.