Quest for Katsura - Cercidiphyllum japonicum

I have been reading The Lives of Leaves by Dan Crowley and Douglas Justice. Since reading about Cercidiphyllum japonicum in their book I have been wanting to see one of these trees. The Christchurch Botanic Gardens posted on Facebook about one of these trees growing near the Peace Bell so I had to go and see it today on a Sunday afternoon.

I sat and did a quick sketch and watercolour that I will work in more detail later. The leaves are beginning to change to yellow and fall off.

I also had to check in with the Dawn Redwood Metasequoia glyptostroides. I want to see it as the leaves change colour. I took a picture of what I think is the young male pollen cones on my INaturalist observation please correct me if I am wrong.

The flowers of Datura wrightii caught my eye. And as I was leaving I observed Cornus alba on the bank of the Avon that was new to me.

Posted on March 17, 2024 07:53 AM by katrina_muir