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<\/a><\/p>\nThe original legacy dates back to the late 19th<\/sup> Century, when the first specimen trees were planted in the grounds of Streatham Hall (now Reed Hall) by Richard Thornton-West.\u00a0 He commissioned the Veitch family of nurserymen to supply and plant trees collected from throughout the world and cultivated at their Exeter and London nurseries.<\/p>\n Alderman W. H. Reed subsequently presented Streatham Hall and its wonderful grounds to the University College of the South West in 1922.\u00a0 It is acknowledged as the base from which the University of Exeter developed.\u00a0 It seems fitting that Reed Hall and grounds are listed and the entire landscape of the campus continues to revolve around the style and quality of this legacy.<\/p>\n There are several conifers and hardwood trees of significance on both our Streatham and St. Luke\u2019s campuses which include the following:<\/p>\n The Wollemi Pine (Wollemia noblis<\/em>) \u2013 a living fossil thought to have existed up to 200 million years ago but only rediscovered in a deep canyon in Australia in 1994.\u00a0 These are part of a worldwide conservation project.<\/p>\n Pinus<\/em> species (Pines) \u2013 these are classified according to the number of needle clusters.\u00a0 We have fine examples for 2, 3 and 5 needle pines.\u00a0 The eminent landscape architect, Dame Sylvia Crowe, is credited with recommending the shelter belt planting of P. radiata<\/em> (Monterey Pine) along the boundaries of Streatham campus.\u00a0 These have proven extremely effective in resisting the impact of prevailing winds.<\/p>\n Birks Arboretum \u2013 this area contains several pines which are rarely seen in the UK, which include P. aristata<\/em> \u2013 Bristlecone Pine (from Colorado and Arizona) and P. coulteri<\/em> \u2013 Big Cone Pine (introduced from Mexico in the 1830s).\u00a0 The cones can measure up to 30cm and can weigh around 2kg when fresh.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Swamp Cypresses (Taxodium distichum<\/em>), native to American states such as Deleware and Florida are also popular features of the campus.\u00a0 They come into their own in autumn, when their foliage turns from pale green to golden orange before fall \u2013 some good examples are on the Queen\u2019s Drive side of the Reed Arboretum.<\/p>\n The Redwoods Metasequoia glyptosroboides<\/em> and Sequoia gigantea<\/em> are some of the tallest trees to interrupt the campus horizon.\u00a0 The Wellingtonias have been recorded in the Sierra Nevada over 100m high with a girth of over 30m. \u00a0These remain features of our arboretums and woodland plantations.<\/p>\n The campus also has some fine examples of the tender conifer Torreya californica<\/em>, the Californian Nutmeg, which has aromatic wood and foliage, as well as examples of the Australian Podocarpus Tree.<\/p>\n Other conifer genera are also represented on our Exeter campuses.\u00a0 In terms of Cupressaceae, we have a small number of the interesting plant Fitzroya cupressoides<\/em>.\u00a0 Its origins are linked with Darwin\u2019s voyages on the \u2018Beagle\u2019, being associated with the name of the ship\u2019s captain.\u00a0 It is native to South America.<\/p>\n Native hardwoods are extensively planted in our woodland areas.\u00a0 During the Queen\u2019s Jubilee year this was augmented by establishing a native Jubilee Wood in the Hoopern Valley, in partnership with the woodland trust.<\/p>\n The campus also reflects some of the history of nurserymen in Exeter, who were involved in the hybridisation of exotic species such as the Exeter Elm and the Lucombe (Exeter) Oak.\u00a0 The Lucome Oak is a cross between a Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris<\/em>) and the Cork Oak (Q. suber<\/em>).\u00a0 It has evergreen foliage and fertile acorns.\u00a0 Like some other hybrids it also displays vigorous growth.<\/p>\n It was first found in the 18th<\/sup> Centrury by William Lucombe on his Exeter nursery, which occupied the area now known as Pince\u2019s Gardens in St. Thomas.\u00a0 Subsequent generations of the original hybrid can be variable in their appearance and character, but the University still have specimens of the original clone.<\/p>\n The Exeter Elm can be infected by fungus (osphiostoma) spread by the Elm Bark Beetle.\u00a0 One of several diseases which are monitored, controlled and researched on our campuses.<\/p>\n We also have some smaller and rarer trees on campus e.g. Bursaria spinosa<\/em>, from the Pittosporum family, native to Australsia.\u00a0 It produces fragrant white flowers amongst Eucalyptus planting, but has not flowered often on the Streatham campus.<\/p>\n The Asian continent is represented with several species of Japanese Maple, including Acer palmatum \u2018Bloodgood\u2019 <\/em>which has deep purple foliage, also Umbrella Pines (Sciadopitys verticullata<\/em>) and Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica<\/em>), examples are around Reed Hall and Queen\u2019s Drive.<\/p>\n The Cherry Orchard, mainly plated with trees donated to the University, produces an impressive spring display on the lawns at the Washington Singer building.\u00a0 Species include Prunus serrulata<\/em> and P. tai haku<\/em> (Great White Cherry).<\/p>\n Our Community Garden on campus has recently planted a fruit orchard.\u00a0 The varieties chosen are all associated with trees selected and grown in Devon.\u00a0 These demonstrate that trees have commercial as well as aesthetic value.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a>