Branching Out: The Beauty of Seasonal Cut Branches

With exposed trees shamelessly baring their branches, the natural skeletal structures of these woody wonders are able to be admired from below, their intricacies and nuances noticeable for the first time since the eruption of leaf buds in early spring.

Nestled amongst the sleeping remnants of trees, whimsical moments of unexpected beauty can be found awaiting discovery: bright, scarlet red fruits of native hollies; Yuletide-immersing scents of juniper branches and cones; fluffy magnolia buds preparing resources for a spectacular display of blooms the following year.

While these natural phenomena provide visual comfort in a barren winter landscape, their ability to brighten up interior spaces should not be underestimated. While the growing season is notorious for providing ample resources for cut flower arrangements, winter selections are lesser known and utilized, but deserving of the same reverence bestowed upon their summertime counterparts as companions of the interior space.

For beautiful, seasonal arrangements from late November to late February, consider adding the following to your next project, whether it be a centerpiece, a container planting, or a winter garden:

FORM:

Corylopsis veitchiana | zigzag branches loaded with fat buds throughout winter before exploding into pendulous chartreuse catkins make this rare ornamental the perfect garden specimen.

Poncirus trifoliata ‘Flying Dragon’ | spiky but sensational mock orange with curiously crooked zigzag branches.

Salix ‘Swizzlestick’ | the grandfather of corkscrew branched shrubs, perfect for the wetland garden.

FOLIAGE:

x Cupressocyparis leylandii | Leyland cypresses are a staple selection for filling out the evergreen hedge, but their persistently lush green leaves also make a wonderful foliar (and filler!) addition to any seasonal winter arrangement.

Daphniphyllum macropodum | a rarely grown and hard-to-find ornamental specimen shrub that adds a pop of evergreen color to the landscape with its rich green foliage and reddish-pink stems, petioles, and winter buds that add subtle accents to arrangements and gardens that experience mild winter climates.

Juniperus horizontalis | this lovely, fast-growing, creeping native shrub is known for its spectacular seasonal bronzing with the arrival of cooler temps and shorter daylight hours. Multiple selections are available, including ‘Bar Harbor’, ‘Andorra Compacta’, and ‘Wiltoni’

Magnolia grandiflora | a structurally sound, long-living evergreen tree that also produces flowers and ornamental cones? how does it get any better than that! virtually the perfect four-season tree. Various selections available: ‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty’, ‘Kay Parris’, ‘Little Gem’, ‘Teddy Bear’

FILLER:

Chasmanthium latifolium | persistent, long-lasting seedheads make a beautiful and eye-catching addition as a filler to arrangements, or as a low maintenance, self-seeding wetland garden companion.

Cornus sericea | vertically oriented branches adorned in explosive reds, peachy-pinks, and yellows add a shock of color to the rain garden, pond edge, and cut flower arrangement meant to pack a visual punch.

Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Arp’ | a winter necessity classically found in the culinary gardener’s kitchen. Rich herbal aroma provides sensory interest encouraging both smell and touch.

Muhlenbergia capillaris | fluffy plumes of pink (and white!) persist before going to seed, lingering as a misty cloud when planted en masse in the landscape, or making the perfect fluffy filler for seasonal arrangements. Available in the pink-flowering species as well as its white-flowering counterpart, ‘White Cloud’ Muhly grass.

FRUIT:

Aronia arbutifolia ‘Brilliantissima’ | a favorite native shrub of various bird species for its bitter but nutritious shiny red fruits that persist all winter long — if they don’t get eaten first!

Ilex verticillata | another bird-friendly favorite perfect for jazzing up wet sites, whorls of bright red fruits cling to the grey-brown branches well into spring of the following year… unless your neighborhood birds get to them before the new year arrives!