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The Chicago Botanic Gardens in Glencoe, Illinois is a renowned and prestigious garden in the Midwest, but unfortunately Metasequoias do not fare well in this snowy and windy climate. The Gardens grew out of funds from the Chicago Horticultural Society and was formally opened in 1972. It is 385 acres of beautiful plant life just north of the Windy City. It has twenty-three specialty gardens and three native areas set on nine lakes. The Gardens focus on collections, education, and research. These Gardens indicate the hardy nature of the Metasequoia. Clearly these trees are not native to this area, and prefer warmer climates. The Chicago area is within the Eastern broadleaf continental forest, which is a huge area that spans from the Western border of the Appalachians to the prairies of the Midwest. It is in the temperate Hardiness Zone 5. It is in a region with average to high winds, fairly average precipitation, and the dominant soil order is Entisols. |
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The Metasequoias here have fared poorly. However it is notable that they have managed to survive. While a total of 38 trees were planted, only five have managed to survive and none are over 35 feet tall. These five trees were received from the Cartwright Nursery in 1968 and 1969. Like those at the Boerner Gardens and the Morton Arboretum, it is very likely that winterkill affected these plants. As they say in China, the nail that sticks out gets hammered. Those trees that grew the quickest were hammered by the strong snows and winds, perhaps because they expended a great deal of energy through their growth. The Chicago Gardens, located amongst nine lakes, is likely a particularly cold garden. The Metasequoias could probably not handle the wind chills in this area. Chicago Botanic Gardens 1000 Lake Cook Road Glencoe, IL 60022 |
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