Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The Hawthorn: Have A Green Holiday
The Hawthorn: Have A Green Holiday
The Hawthorn
Fall 2009
Wreaths, evergreen swags, bundles of greens, and centerpieces will be available at the sale, but we strongly encourage
pre-ordering to be sure you get the decorations and color scheme you seek. The Merryspring elves are waiting to create some-
thing just for you! Go to the Holiday Bazaar page of the Merryspring website http://www.merryspring.org and click on the Bazaar
link for a copy of the catalog.
In addition to holiday greenery and books for the gardener or naturalist on your list, we always have an array of unique gift s that
will be available only at Merryspring during the sale. Here are just a few samples to whet your holiday shopping appetite:
delicious, homemade jams, preserves, and candy; compounded spice mixes; herbal sachets; paperwhites in their holiday best;
supplies to make your own decorations; pet treats; botanical greeting cards; and hand-crafted Della Robbia wreaths, decoupage
boxes and picture frames, ornaments, and more made by our talented volunteers.
We are very grateful to our sponsors, Long’s Landscaping and Scholz & Barclay Architecture, for helping us bring you this festive
event. All proceeds from the Bazaar benefit Merryspring Nature Center.
FAMILY PROGRAMS
A monthly Family Program Series and School Break Family Programs are currently under construction. Keep your eye on the
Merryspring website and weekly eUpdates for the latest postings.
PUBLIC EVENTS
Winter Ecology Festival: Saturday, February 13, from 10am - 12pm —A fun event for the whole family: Maine mammals and
birds; winter trees; birdfeeder making; winter sports ; and more; hot drinks and refreshments throughout the day
Astronomy Day, co-sponsor—Central Maine Astronomical Society: Saturday, April 24, afternoon and evening—Mark you calen-
dar for this annual event when astronomers share their joy of astronomy with people of all ages
Some dates may be subject to change and additional workshops and field trips will be added. Be sure to check our website www.merryspring.org for the latest
postings. If you’d like to be sent news of new programs and reminders of upcoming events, send your name and email address to info@merryspring.org. We will
never share or sell your email address.
Page 4 The Hawthorn Fall 2009
September 22 - District Forester Morten Moesswilde September 16 - 6th and 7th graders at the
addresses a large group at the Tree Identification 2009 Knox-Lincoln Conservation Fair learn
workshop. about the effects of invasive species.
Page 6 The Hawthorn Fall 2009
Christmas fern’s (Polystichum acrostichoides) leathery, dark green, tapering fronds make a popular Yuletide decoration
because they remain green through the holiday season. This common evergreen fern of our wooded slopes adds year-round
color, structure, and erosion control to the shade garden and serves as cover for frogs. Easily grown and readily available at
most nurseries, they look most natural when planted in masses.
Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) is the native holly of Maine. Unlike the holly associated with European Christmas traditions,
winterberry is a shrub rather than a tree, and its leaves are deciduous and spineless. Nonetheless, its bright red berries,
persisting on the branches long after the leaves have dropped and the snow has begun to fly, bring cheer to our winter
landscape and the numerous species of birds who feast on them. For use in holiday arrangements, the leafless, berry-laden
branches should be gathered by Thanksgiving before the birds have stripped them bare.
(continued on page 7)
Red osier dogwood stems show their winter color. The Christmas fern is hardy and evergreen.
The Hawthorn Fall 2009 Page 7
Spiny husk of the American chestnut (Castanea dentate) is shown at the upper right, while
the smoother, thorned husk of the Horse-chestnut is shown at the upper and lower left.
Note the characteristic large, white, eye-like area on the nuts themselves, center.
The Horse-chestnut, a European shade tree commonly planted around homes for its
dramatic spikes of flowers and palmate leaves, is not a chestnut at all. It belongs to the
Soapberry family (Sapindaceae) along with our native Buckeyes, which are also poison-
ous. The nuts or “conkers” can be easily distinguished from those of the true chestnuts
by the husks. The husks of all true chestnuts (Castanea species) are aptly dubbed
“urchins” for their bristling, spiny appearance. The husk of the Horse-chestnut is much
smoother with short thorns (see photo).
A bowl of Horse-chestnuts ready to use
for holiday crafts. Remember, never eat any plant unless you are of its identity.