The flowers have faded and the leaves have fallen, but that doesn't mean there isn't anything of interest left to see in the garden. Many of the plants whose flowers and leaves had you in awe earlier in the season, have now lost them to reveal their colorful and variously textured bark.
Incense Cedar Calocedrus decurrens
As this handsome tree matures, its now flaky bark becomes thick and deeply furrowed.
Fringe Tree Chionanthus virginicus
The delicate, curled bark was once used by Native Americans to treat skin conditions.
Curl-leaf Mountain Mahogany Cercocarpus ledifolius
In nature, deer eat the leaves and young branches, exposing this beautiful silvery bark.
Red Osier Dogwood Cornus sericea
The brilliant red twigs add striking color to Utah's winter landscape.
Columnar Scotch Pine Pinus sylvestris 'Fastigiata'
The light, multicolored bark of Scotch Pines provide a visual accent to its dark needles.
Blireana Plum Prunus x blireana
These burls add an interesting, bubbly texture to the trunk of this tree.
The swirled and twisted grain of burl wood is very dense and resistant to splitting, which make burls highly valued in woodworking, often turned into bowls, mallets and mauls.
Korean Mountain Ash Sorbus alnifolia
With age, the smooth bark becomes covered with distinguishing t-shaped markings .
This is just a handful of the many trees and shrubs at Red Butte with attractive, interesting, and often overlooked bark. Come see for yourself how diverse and unique each of them truly are.
Photos by Jason Baker