General

6 ways to explore OPPD’s Arboretum

You can smell the fresh layer of mulch that landscapers recently spread around trees, bushes and garden groupings at the OPPD Arboretum. The 26-acre horticultural gem at 108^th & Blondo streets in Omaha provides a great stomping ground for both novice and seasoned home gardeners.

Omaha Public Power District arborists have been taking care of the site for 20 years now. The utility created the arboretum to help educate the public on selection and placement of trees, especially around power lines. That’s because trees placed incorrectly around power equipment can cause outages that disrupt customers and damage electric lines and other equipment.

“The arboretum is great for public education,” said Mike Norris, senior utility forester at OPPD. “It provides a four-season look at plants that grow well in Nebraska.”

The arboretum has electrical safety education areas; a substation overlook; shelterbelt, wildlife and erosion-control plantings; a formal planting area; an edible orchard area; a prairie in progress; and an outdoor classroom. Signage throughout the facility explains more about each section.

Best of all, you can see more than 1,000 trees and shrubs of over 200 different species.

Here are six ways you can explore the arboretum.

1. Take time with the trees

Small trees. Medium-sized trees. Large trees. You can find quite the assortment of trees that can withstand finicky Nebraska weather, and you can see firsthand each tree’s characteristics. What does the bark look like? What shape are its leaves? Does it flower? What do its limbs look like? How tall will it get at maturity? Most trees and shrubs there have markers that show how tall and wide the specimen will get. This is especially helpful if you are in the market for a tree for your yard.

2. Look for color cues

Even on the grayest day, you will find a spectrum of colors at the arboretum. The greens of the leaves. Shades of brown, gray and white barks. Wheat-colored grasses. In mid-April, the buds and leaves on the trees and shrubs there are ready to burst open. Spy white crabapple blossoms, yellow Forsythia blooms and fragrant pink and white Magnolia flowers, to name a few. For a fun twist, search for plantings with a color in its name, such as Blackjack Oak, Colorado Blue Spruce, Greenspire Littleleaf Linden or Indian Currant Coralberry.

3. Search for shapes

Find something round, like a berry or a bush. Then try cone-shape. There’s plenty of pine and evergreen trees, plus a few other tree fruits that fit that bill. Cylinder-shaped? Look for the power line demo area and the support structures for the signage. Rectangle? The silver plant markers check that box. You will find squares, ovals, curly-cues and lots more examples of the other shapes if you try.

4. Tune in to textures

If you haven’t examined tree bark closely, you will be in for a real treat once you do. The Cornelian Cherry and Amur Corktree both have showy detail. Native grasses, once in full bloom, provide a little fluff and are mesmerizing as they blow in the wind on a sunny day. Pine needles have a variety of textures, as do the pinecones they bear.

5. Walk the winding trails

There are two miles of walking trails at the arboretum. From the parking lot, take the paved walkway that runs north, then winds uphill toward the west, leading to a bench. It’s a nice place to sit and take in an elevated view. Head east and you’ll find a mulched path that leads to the outdoor classroom, hidden under an impressive canopy of old Oak and other trees. That trail exits near the entry, and you’ll cross one of two wooden bridges, great posing spots for local photographers. Many neighbors frequent the trails, and OPPD arborists say they take great pride in the site. It’s also a favorite for dogwalkers.

6. Watch for wildlife

You never know what you will spot at the arboretum. Deer, squirrels, rabbits and birds are common sights there. Trees shelter wildlife among and beneath their branches. Insects overwinter in cavities and between loose bark. Birds feast on berries and insects trying to hide out. Rabbits gnaw on grass. Squirrels and racoons feast on nuts and acorns. Deer seek out leafy parts of woody plants along with seeds.

Before leaving, stop by the gazebo that sits just before the parking lot. You’ll see a small pond outlined in stone. Take one last look at the beautiful landscape and head home with inspiration and a few ideas.