Greg's Trees

 

Greg Williams

Greg Williams is a noted plantsman and the long-time proprietor of Kate Brook Nursery in Vermont. He would be better known if he promoted himself but that's not going to happen; also he would probably cringe to know that I'm writing about him, but since he claims to eschew computer use and correspondence, he will likely never read this blog. Greg is long in the tooth now, but mutual friend Dave Veinotte of Nova Scotia visited his nursery in October, 2019, and reports that Greg is as mentally sharp as ever.

Pseudotsuga menziesii 'Graceful Grace'

I first met Mr. Williams about 30 years ago at an IPPS (International Plant Propagators Society) meeting in Portland, Oregon, then shortly thereafter at an IPPS gathering in Philadelphia. After the Philly conference Greg ferried me about the Pennsylvania countryside to visit various nurseries, arboreta and interesting trees. It was on this trip that I saw the “largest Sequoiadendron east of the Mississippi...” which isn't saying much so I didn't bother documenting it with a photo. Another tree, but of greater interest was a weeping Douglas fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii 'Graceful Grace', growing at a Masonic home along with other interesting conifers. Greg sent me scionwood of the cultivar and I have an old specimen in the Flora Wonder Arboretum.

Pseudotsuga menziesii 'Graceful Grace'

The original 'Graceful Grace' was eventually destroyed to make way for an enlarged parking lot, a criminal act if you ask me. Also criminal is my goon neighbor who gets hopped up on meth and occasionally vandalizes my property, for one night he smashed into smithereens another 'Graceful Grace' with his tractor to prove he wore the big pants in the area. He was confronted by the sheriff and admitted to the malfeasance but said he believed the tree I planted was on his property. A subsequent survey demonstrated that the tree was actually 15' on my property, but it's now dead and the cops consider it a “civil matter.” Obviously nothing can possibly be “civil” when dealing with such a dick, especially accompanied with wimpy law enforcement.

Pinus strobus 'Mini Twists'

Pinus strobus 'Mini Twists'

Pinus strobus 'Tiny Kurls'

Quite a number of Pinus cultivars came to me due to the generosity of Greg Williams, and he often referred to his gifts as “something I might like to try.” In his garden he grew a Pinus strobus 'Horsham' which originated as a witch's broom, and which was noteworthy for producing lots of cones. A Pinus strobus 'Torulosa' was planted nearby, a large-growing tree with curiously twisted needles. Greg raised a number of seedlings from the 'Horsham' mother tree, and a percentage of them would display the twisted needles. Three of the more-dwarf offspring were set aside and starts were given to other plantsmen. Robert Fincham was one recipient, and he was given permission to name and propagate them, and Fincham writes in Small Conifers for Small Gardens, “I named the slowest growing seedling 'Mini Twists'. The faster growing seedling, called 'Tiny Kurls' by [his wife] Dianne, was introduced first. The fastest growing seedling of the three never became popular and wasn't given a name.” For me, however, 'Mini Twists' is larger than 'Tiny Kurls', and I grew some of the former to 4' tall by 7' wide before I sold them. As far as the third seedling which “wasn't given a name,” I grew it also and named it 'Vercurve', as in a conifer from Vermont with curved needles. It is also in the trade because I sold hundreds to another Oregon grower when we used to produce custom liners. In The Hillier Manual of Trees and Shrubs 2019, 'Mini Twists' is not mentioned but 'Tiny Kurls' is, and it is described as a “seedling of 'Torulosa' [rong] raised by A. Sherwood, USA...[also very rong],” for Andy Sherwood, whom I was related to, was long dead before Greg raised his seedlings. Even the RHS's relatively new Encyclopedia of Conifers by Auders and Spicer repeat the error.

Acer circinatum 'WB Hoyt'

Acer circinatum 'WB Hoyt'

Acer circinatum 'WB Hoyt'

Speaking of errors I might be spouting them also, because I don't have all of the details about every start that Greg sent to me; in other words, was Greg the first to actually make the discovery, or was he perhaps with someone else who saw it first? For example Greg was with a companion when they were visiting the Hoyt Arboretum in Portland, and he reported seeing a witch's broom on an Acer circinatum. He described the location, and that it was growing right beside the road, a road I had passed at least 50 times before without notice. I returned to the low-lying broom at propagation time and snipped a few scions during our maple propagation season, and I christened it (poorly) as 'WB Hoyt', which was intended as a temporary name, but it stuck when I either sold or gave some away. The late maple author, Peter Gregory of England was pleased when I showed him the broom, but wisely it was not included in his book Japanese Maples, Timber Press 2009.

Quercus rubra 'Greg's Variegated'

Quercus rubra 'Greg's Variegated'

Williams sent a start of a variegated Quercus rubra, but I don't know if he discovered the “Red oak” on his property or in the wild. Greg is somewhat of a recluse so I'll probably never know, but I like it enough that we produce a couple of hundred per year now, and I named it 'Greg's Variegated'. We propagate using a side graft and the plants grow vigorously; however I have been warned that Q. rubra can exhibit some delayed incompatibility, at least with some cultivars. I turned to my go-to manual, The Benchcrafter's Handbook by Brian Humphrey (CRC Press, 2019) and read, “Q. rubra rootstock generally appears reliable for Q. rubra cultivars, though not totally confirmed because some* assert Q. rubra cultivars are not compatible on Q. rubra rootstocks.” I'd certainly hate to be cursed in the future as the Oregon knucklehead who foisted incompatible grafts to the trade.

*The “some” indicated in the footnote is Brian Upchurch of North Carolina in 2009.

Magnolia 'Kiki's Broom'

Magnolia 'Kiki's Broom'

Magnolia 'Kiki's Broom'

Haruko

Kiki

Though widely recognized as a conifer expert, Williams also sent to me scions of a Magnolia witch's broom, and he supposed that it was hosted on a M. x soulangeana. It looked to me to be so, but since I'm not really a Magnolia man myself, I skipped the specific epithet when I propagated and sold it. Williams also would not epithetinize it because he was not a Magnolia man either. Needing a name, and not getting guidance from Williams, I named it M. 'Kiki's Broom', and now I see it listed in the trade as M. x soulangeana 'Kiki's Broom', so I suppose others are more certain of its identity than I. In any case we propagate by rooted cuttings in summer, or by grafting onto M. kobus in winter. The propagules are not really dwarf, and a ten-year-old specimen – via a graft – can reach 4' tall by 5' wide in 10-to-12 years. I flippantly chose the cultivar name of 'Kiki's Broom' because my young children (half Japanese) were then fascinated with Hayao Miyazaki's animated movie about a cute Japanese pixie-witch who provided a delivery service via a magic broom. Honestly, I never wanted to be the namer of this cultivar – it was neither my duty nor privilege to do so – but I filled the void with 'Kiki's Broom'. If you are able to watch this delightful film (which is easily available) you will fall totally in love with this cutsie's character. There are many similarities between Kiki and my wife, both very loveable.

Pinus strobus 'Louie'

Pinus strobus 'Louie'

As I page through my Master Plant List I find Kate Brook Nursery as my source very often, especially with Pinus strobus cultivars. Besides the popular Pinus strobus 'Mini Twists' I received 21 additional cultivars of Pinus strobus from Greg. Most have been discontinued due to poor sales, and many are not even in the collection anymore. Some golden forms like 'Hillside Winter Gold' didn't sell well because it was never gold enough. I drive past one every day that was planted on property I used to lease, and the anemic 40' tree looks pathetic. 'National Life' was discovered growing in an insurance company's landscape, but it would burn in my nursery. 'Louie' is a more worthy cultivar which should be planted in full sun for best color. The tree is kind of two-toned, with the long thin inner needles being greenish, a perfect foil for the shimmering golden newer foliage. Greg found 'Louie' as a seedling in Hyde Park, Vermont and introduced it in 1993, but I have no clue who it was named for.

Pinus strobus 'Stowe Pillar'

Pinus strobus 'Bennett's Fastigiate'

Pinus strobus 'Fastigiata' was selected in the 1880s for its narrow form and erect branching, and I used to grow it until improvements arrived...via Greg. His 'Stowe Pillar' was discovered at Stowe Mountain at a ski resort which is near his home. He also sent a start of 'Bennett's Fastigiate', and without the labels I would never tell the two apart. I'm not implying that Greg discovered 'Bennett's Fastigiate', rather he was my source. I guess Bennett was a pine aficionado as I also have Pinus strobus 'Bennett Clumpleaf' and Pinus sylvestris 'Bennett Compact'.

Abies balsamea 'Tyler Blue'

Williams provided scions of Abies balsamea 'Tyler Blue' but for some reason it didn't perform well for me. In the field the trees were inconsistent with some growing ok, while others went heavily to seed and then dying a year or two later. A better performer is Abies balsamea 'Eugene Gold', and amazingly the thin golden needles can take full sun when established. We have grown it in the past as 'Eugene Yellow', but since he sent me the scions I don't know which of us was mixed up. In any case it originated when Greg propagated from a yellow mutation, and for me it has never reverted back to green. A high percentage will strike roots from winter cuttings, and they will begin their early years by growing flat, but eventually a leader will develop unless you don't want one.

All of the starts Greg sent to me were free of charge, and I appreciated that he would cut scions, pack and ship with complete generosity. Keep in mind that harvesting scions in Vermont's winter snow meant digging to get to the dwarf trees. I reflect back to all who assisted me in my career; without plant friends like Greg I would have had a boring life selling insurance or as an undertaker perhaps.