Hi. I'm new here, and this is my first post. I have no idea where to post this, so I hope someone can help. I'm planning a trip to the Vancouver area and Salt Spring island in mid-October. I'd like to visit VanDusen Botanical Gardens, the UBC Botanical Gardens, Queen Elizabeth Park, as well as any other parks that may be of interest. I'm particularily looking for the 'rare and unusual' plant species, in particular the Wollemi pine. The only public gardens in Canada that I know of that have nice size specimens of these are Butchart Gardens and UBC. Are there other places I can see them? I have one of my own (which will be grown as long as possible as an indoor plant) and would love to see one in a garden setting. Where is the UBC Wollemi planted? Does VanDusen have one? Are there any other 'interesting' plants that I should be on the lookout for while in the area? I have been to these places before, so I know what to expect, but it has been a while, and never in October. What would be something to see at this time of year, either in the gardens or elsewhere in the city, as far as flowers or fall colours go? Also, are there any public displays of Carnivorous plants and/or orchids in the above mentioned gardens or other areas? I know many species of Carnivorous plants and orchids are very hardy in the Vancouver climate, but for some reason botanical gardens do not grow them. Any idea why? Another question, is what can I expect from the weather? I am assuming rain, but how much? Temperature?
Hi kevind76 - VanDusen does, indeed, have a Wollemi pine. VanDusen also has a lovely Umbrella Pine (a tree on the endangered list). VanDusen also has containers with carnivorous plants near the pool. Fall colour in mid-October should be good. If you visit VanDusen, there will be a nice self-guided tour available taking you to the highlights for Autumn. As for weather...who ever knows here on the west coast. Mid-October has been quite nice the past couple of years...the rains have held off until mid-November. October has been light-jacket weather. On the other hand, if it rains, you can always find a place to buy an umbrella (or maybe your hotel will have one to lend out). Enjoy your visit....
You may also find the Nitobe Memorial Garden, http://www.nitobe.org, and the Dr.Sun Yat Sen Garden, http://www.vancouverchinesegarden.com/index.htm , interesting while in Vancouver.
You can't miss the Wollemia here at UBCBG. It's at the front entrance. October is often quite nice, but you never know. Might be cool, but not likely to be very cold. Sounds like you should also look for Araucaria araucana, monkey puzzle. Same family as Wollemia, native to S. America, but does not grow in most areas. You will see a lot of them in this region and most people who have not seen them before, find them fascinating.
Thanks everyone! cindys - Is the VanDusen Wollemi new? I can't find it in their collections list on their web site. Where is it located? Umbrella pine? Don't know that one. I'll have to look it up. Are there any threads here with info on it? Thanks for letting me know about the CPs! I'll have to look for them. chimera - yes, I know about the Asian gardens, but I don't know if I'll get to them. It would be nice, though. Eric - I know about the Monkey Puzzle, and have seen them in Vancouver before. always nice to see again, though! How about other things like banana, palms and tree fern? I'm pretty sure I've seen tree fern at VanDusen, and palms are planted in some areas by the city (at least they were the last time I was there). Bananas might be tricky, but I'm pretty sure people grow them on the Gulf Islands.
Yes, the Wollemi pine is new to VanDusen...planted just this year. It is in the Southern Hemisphere garden. See below for a pic of the umbrella pine (taken Oct 19 2007) and here for a nice bit of information: http://www.hort.uconn.edu/Plants/s/sciver/sciver1.html VanDusen has tree ferns...in the winter they are wrapped. There are several in the Southern Hemisphere Garden and several more in the Fern Dell, where a really nice windmill palm also lives. They should still be on view when you arrive. There is one banana plant that lives outside at VDG. In winter, they circle it with a chicken wire cage and pile leaves inside to keep it warm. The other bananas in the garden go into the greenhouse. When I was working, I used to take the 22 bus downtown. Somewhere on Macdonald Street between 16th and Broadway on the left side of the street was a house that has a banana...it is still there, as is the one farther along (other side of Broadway). Neither one ever seems to have any protection, other than being planted adjacent to the houses and they still live.
Umbrella pine is a rarely-used alternative name for Stone Pine Pinus pinea, though the name has also been misapplied to Koyamaki Sciadopitys verticillata (which is not a pine, but in its own family Sciadopityaceae). The photo in the post above shows a Koyamaki.
The city of Vancouver is awash in Banana plants. Big ones and dwarf ones are very common in east Vancouver yards and I've even seen 2 and 3 foot plants popping in in the grassy areas between fence and sidewalk, presumably suckers from a large plant inside an adjacent yard. People I see growing them usually wrap them for the winter. If the wraps get taken off too early the plants can get damaged by the cold and look rather sad, though they seem to recover. I've often seen large plants flowering but I don't think outdoor plants here have enough sun and heat top produce edible fruit.
if you are interested in "the flowers of fall" the pacific northwest is also known for gorgeous mushrooms! Some local mid October events: October 25, 2009 Sunday The Vancouver Mycological Society's 30th Annual MUSHROOM SHOW 11am – 4pm Vandusen Botanical Garden, Floral Hall, West 37th and Oak Street, Vancouver October TBA 2009 Fungus Amungus at Vandusen October 17-18, 2009 Whistler Fungus Among Us (FAU) Mushroom Festival October 17-18, 2009 Pender Harbour Mushroom Festival cheers, frog
Thanks again! Hmmm...mushrooms would be cool, but that won't work for me - I'll be at the orchid show in Langley the 16th-18th. I'll have to look for the bananas, then - really cool! I didn't know they were that hardy! How about Palms? I know of Trachycarpus fortunei (is this the Fan Palm?), but what others are grown? Which is the Windmill Palm?
Trachycarpus fortunei is Chusan Palm European Fan Palm is Chamaerops humilis Chinese Fan Palm is Livistona chinensis California Fan Palm is Washingtonia filifera "Windmill Palm" seems to be a variant name for Chusan Palm.
Thanks. This is why I prefer latin names over common names. You know exactly what plant you are talking about, except when taxonomists keep changing the latin names! That is another topic, though. Fraser's Thimble Farms sells Trachycarpus, and calls them the Fan Palm, but wasn't sure. I guess they are wrong, then?
Yes and no - "fan palm" is a group name for all palms with fan-like leaves (as opposed to 'feather palms', with pinnate leaves). Trachycarpus has fan like leaves. So they are correct, but imprecise.
What we call a windmill palm is the Trachycarpus fortunei...also called Chusan palm. As you said, the latin name is better!!!
Just to add to this thread, I was wondering what types of fall-blooming perennials and/or trees/shrubs I could see in mid-October. Colchicum? Asters? Actually, that's all I can think of right now for fall-flowering. Fall isn't usually 'flower season', but there are some. Any one know? Either UBC BG or VanDusen BG, or anywhere else. Would annuals still be in full flower? When do they get pulled out?
