“Fall Is for Planting” is a familiar phrase in the tree world, and we do plenty of fall planting on our farms. Autumn is also our season for cultivating relationships with tree specifiers by attending their national conferences. Since 1995, we’ve attended the Conference on Landscape Architecture, presented annually in October by the American Society of Landscape Architects; this year in Washington, D. C. In November, we traveled to Chicago to participate for the 19th year in the Partners in Community Forestry Conference, presented by the Arbor Day Foundation and the Urban & Community Forestry Society.
Green industry professionals who attend these events rarely buy trees directly from us, but their influence over what’s ultimately planted in civic, commercial and private landscapes is significant. That’s why we set out nearly 30 years ago to engage with and educate specifiers about the high-quality trees we grow, and to connect them with our customers across the continent who grow our young trees on to landscape-ready sizes for their local markets.
The Conference on Landscape Architecture attracts more than 6,000 attendees each year, and this year celebrated the ASLA’s 125th year. The event includes a lively Expo, where we’re among just a handful of nursery exhibitors, and are the only nursery to attend every year regardless of venue. Since 1995, more than 50 customers have accepted our invitation to join us as exhibit partners when the event is held in their region. Some years, our “Growers’ Grove” includes a dozen growers, and others, a half-dozen or less. Collectively, we have occupied more than 170 booth spaces over the past three decades. The result – landscape architects know us as “The Tree People,” and that they can source Schmidt-quality trees from our Expo exhibit partners and other customers via our TreeLocatorSM service.
The Partners in Community Forestry Conference is much smaller, but mighty in influence. Around 1,000 tree advocates gathered in Chicago this year, a mix of urban foresters, arborists and tree care companies, non-profit tree planters, U. S. Forest Service scientists, researchers and program managers, state and municipal urban forestry managers, and a few nurseries.
We’ve served as sponsors and exhibitors since 2009. Following our successful ASLA model, we invite local customers to join us as exhibit partners when the meeting takes place in their realm. Over the years, more than 20 customers have joined us as exhibit partners – including multi-year exhibitors Spring Grove Nursery, Natorp’s Nursery, and Northwest Shade Trees.
Every year, we arrange for a local customer to provide trees and greenery for the stages, brightening the presentation areas with local fall color. This year, we thank Kankakee Nursery for bringing beautiful, colorful trees to the tree conference – no small feat in late November when most Chicagoland fall color is long gone!
Beyond the invaluable work of networking, park and street tree tours are favorite aspects of these events. No matter the venue, we’re always on the lookout for good examples the trees we grow. We found plenty of them in Chicago and Washington, D. C., and are sharing a few with you.
Green Gable™ Tupelo
Nyssa sylvatica ‘NSUHH’ PP 22951
This late-coloring cultivar stole the show as it lit up the stage with its bright red fall color. Leaves were still burning bright in the fields at Kankakee Nursery, too. Notable for its clean, dark green, glossy summer foliage, the leaves on this remarkable cultivar resist leaf spot and turn radiant red in autumn. Upsweeping branches and a dominant central leader form a narrowly upright, pyramidal canopy that is formal in appearance, resembling the triangular, steep-pitched roof gables that inspired its name. Mature height and spread of this USDA Zone 5 tree are approximately 40’ x 25’.
Greenspire® Linden
Tilia cordata ‘Greenspire’
A double alleé of perfectly pleached Greenspire® Lindens embrace the twin “pathways of remembrance” of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D. C. The names of more than 24,000 officers who died in the line of duty are carved on the 304-foot-long blue-gray limestone walls. Propagated at JFS, the bare root liners were grown to perfection by Halka Nurseries and planted at the memorial that was completed in 1991.
The standard of comparison among the Lindens, this 1961 introduction of Princeton Nursery is undoubtedly the most widely planted of the lindens, and for good reason. It has a strong central leader, very uniform branch arrangement and maintains a symmetrical, pyramidal form as it reaches a height and spread of about 40’ x 30’. Clean, dark green foliage turns yellow in autumn.
Princeton Elm
Ulmus americana ‘Princeton’
A single elm, most likely ‘Princeton’, shades the entrance to the ASLA Center for Landscape Architecture in Washington, D. C. The national headquarters of the 125-year-old society sports a roof garden and many other features that qualified it for LEED Platinum and Well Building Gold. Upright branch habit and a relatively narrow, vase-shaped form recommend this American Elm cultivar for street tree use. Introduced in 1922 by Princeton Nurseries of New Jersey, it has proven for a century to be tolerant of Dutch elm disease. Adaptable to varied climates and growing conditions, it may well be the most widely planted of the American elm cultivars. Dark green foliage casts cool shade through the summer months before turning to rich golden yellow in autumn. Learn more about the thousands of elms that grow in Washington, D. C. in this archived blog: Elms shade our nation’s capital
Vanessa Parrotia
Parrotia persica ‘Vanessa’
Growing tall, narrow, and dark green, a Vanessa Parrotia graces the entrance to the United States Botanical Garden on the National Mall. Offering upright, narrow form and greater density than is typical of the species, this time-tested cultivar is a fine choice for smaller-scale landscapes or for use near streets. Its distinctive shape, drought tolerance, low maintenance requirements, and adaptability to varied soils and climates earns this versatile small tree a place on our UtiliTrees® list.
Tiny flowers with bright red stamens bloom in late winter, augmenting the beauty of exfoliating grey and tan bark. Slightly scalloped, oval leaves emerge with burgundy edges and turn medium green as they mature. Autumn brings a kaleidoscopic display of bronze, crimson, orange, red and gold leaves.
Espresso™ Kentucky Coffee Tree
Gymnocladus dioicus ‘Espresso-JFS’
A faint splash of pink paint on its trunk identifies this handsome specimen growing in Washington, D. C.’s Franklin Park to be a Schmidt-grown tree. Arching branches of this North American native tree give it an elm-like form. Huge, doubly compound leaves composed of small, bluish-green leaflets provide filtered shade and give it a tropical feel. Our seedless selection bears none of the big seed pods that can be problematic in landscapes and streetscapes. This long-lived and highly adaptable tree is tolerant of heat, drought, cold and acid to alkaline soils. Mature height and spread are approximately 50’ x 35’.
Autumn Gold Ginkgo
Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn Gold’
This dauntless duo of Ginkgo trees withstands tough growing conditions on the streets of Chicago. Dating from prehistoric times, the species is a symbol of survival and adaptability. Fossil records show that the uniquely fan-shaped, leathery leaves have seen this ancient species through 200 million years of evolution while others have died along the evolutionary trail. Ginkgoes continue to thrive in Chicago and other cities around the world despite adverse growing conditions. In general, they are tolerant of compacted soils acid or alkaline, and aren’t bothered much by air pollution, heat or cold, insects or diseases.
Named for its striking, golden yellow autumn color that seem to appear overnight, Autumn Gold Ginkgo is an enduring, widely planted favorite. Introduced in 1967 by Princeton Nurseries of New Jersey, this male cultivar is narrow in youth, widening with age to form a broadly pyramidal tree of about 45’ x 35’. Hardiness rating is USDA Zone 3.
Sparkling Sprite® Crabapple
Malus ‘JFS-KW207’ PP 27954
Thanks to Pete Worth of Kankakee Nursery, our trade show table was equipped with a people magnet disguised as a crabapple tree. Conference attendees were irresistibly drawn to the bright yellow fruit and rounded canopy of the Sparkling Sprite® Crabapple that was propagated at JFS and sold to Kankakee Nursery as a bare root tree and containerized for local sales.
This unusual cultivar has a unique, densely branched, topiary-like form that lends formality to landscapes. Its branches are smothered in springtime by pink-tinged flowers, and in summer by exceptionally disease-resistant green leaves. This petite beauty bears an especially heavy crop of tiny yellow crabapples that deepen to orange as winter tightens its grip on the garden.
Gardeners! Please note that our nursery is strictly wholesale. To purchase these and other trees grown by our nursery, please use our Retailer Locator to find sources of JFS trees near you.
