CT 6 0 Editor List

The Justin „Chub” Harper Conifer Heritage Gallery

Photo Documentation

Bickelhaupt Arboretum Conifer Inventory & Gallery

Hidden Lake Gardens Gallery

Quad City Botanical Center Gallery

Photographed by Dax Herbst 2003-2011©

Edited by Zsolt Mesterházy 2011-2014©

A http://www.conifertreasury.org publication 2014 ©

‘My Relationship with Justin “Chub” Harper’

by Dax Herbst

During the winter of 2001 I found a conifer collection not far from me. It was ‘The Bickelhaupt Arboretum – Heartland Collection of Garden Conifers’ and it was only a 45-minute drive to go see it. This particular day was one of the worst of winter weather days as I so vividly recall. The laden winds were mighty and the snow flew from every direction… and the ground was 2/3 of a meter covered in snow.

It didn’t take too long before I was greeted with enthusiasm from the then arboretum manager, Francie Hill-Bickelhaupt, and she told me of a man named, Chub Harper – who she must introduce me to, because... 'Never had there been a visitor to their arboretum, at that time of the year –“ever“- Francie said to me’.

Chub Harper (July 14, 1928 – March 29, 2009) and I struck it off 'like two seeds in a pod'. He knew I was one of, ‘his kinds’ - immediately and within months… I said to Chub one day no different from any other, ‘I’ve decided to dedicate my lifetime to improving The Database of ‘The American Conifer Society’ - through photographing plants & research, & writing and editing plant-records. Chub’s words that must have motivated me more than any other thing, were: ‘the greatest thing about The American Conifer Society’s, Database is that “a keystroke” is all it takes… And Chub’s deepest regards, for the creation of The American Society’s Database - to Bill Barger never were more than a few words away – either.

Chub donated to, ‘The Heartland Collection’ from 1970 and up until about 2004, over 670-conifers to the arboretums founders: Bob and Frances Bickelhaupt. Many of which remain today, while others were removed for reasons such as: disease, they outgrew their space, or also-importantly… they proved to be less-desirable conifers than others - which is the purpose - often, of an arboretum….

Chub Harper was a plant hunter. He attended the Founding Board of Directors first meeting of a group of “conifer enthusiasts” that is now called The American Conifer Society and was a past President – and he will long be remembered for his other donation(s) of conifers to Michigan State University – ‘The Harper Collection of Dwarf & Rare Conifers’, Tipton, Michigan (340 conifers donated, 1980); to ‘The Quad-City Botanical Center, in Rock Island, IL (50 rare & dwarf conifers, 2000); and to ‘The Bickelhaupt Arboretum’ (about 670 conifers). Chub also would have liked it to be known how much fondness he had for ‘The Davey Tree Company’ for their gracious efforts of hand-digging almost all of his large conifer specimens and, delivering them on-site and planting them, at ‘The Harper Collection’.

Introduction by Bickelhaupt Arboretum page

HEARTLAND COLLECTION OF GARDEN CONIFERS

The Heartland Collection of Garden Conifers is the largest and most well-known collection that the Bickelhaupt Arboretum has to offer. The idea for this collection came from the late Justin “Chub” Harper, Moline, Ill. He felt the arboretum needed to show these plants and make the general public more aware of them. He believed they had a lot to offer; many different textures, shapes, sizes, colors and low maintenance. The initial planning, bed layout, and plant selection was done during the summer and fall of 1990. The first plants were planted in the spring of 1991. We have a nice selection of older time-tested cultivars as well as some exciting newer ones. In addition to these cultivars, the collection has many one-of-a-kind plants that originate from witches brooms. These witches brooms have been discovered and made available to us by various collectors throughout the United States. “Chub” felt it important to include them so they could be studied and familiarize our visitors with witches brooms.
Today the heartland collection consist of 412 plants. The collection is continually changing as we remove plants to prevent them from crowding one another. We carefully select replacement plants that don’t have major insect and disease problems and are hardy to zone 5. One of the many interesting features found in the collection is the Alberta Spruce Grove located along the walking path as you enter the collection. There are 52 plants in the grove, which are supposed to imitate a miniature forest. (Bickelhaupt homepage text)

http://www.hrt.msu.edu/assets/PagePDFs/bert-cregg/ChubHarperRemembrance.pdf

http://www.bick-arb.org/gardens/heartland/Heartland-Collection.pdf

http://www.bick-arb.org/complete-arb-collection.pdf

Bickelhaupt Arboretum View Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Garden View Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 1 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 2 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 3 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 4 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 5 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 6 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 7 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 8 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 9 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 10 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 11 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 12 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 13 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 14 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 15 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 16 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 17 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 18 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 19 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 20 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 21 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 22 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 23 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 24 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 25 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 26 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 27 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 28 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 29 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 30 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 31 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 32 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Bickelhaupt Arboretum 33 Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Abies alba ’Pyramidalis’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

93-143 Abies cilicica (Spring Grove) Spring Grove Cilician Fir 1CC

Abies cilicica ’Spring Grove’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

95-072 Abies concolor (La Veta) La Veta Colorado White Fir 1DD

Abies concolor ’La Veta’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

98-021 Abies concolor (Olson) Olson Colorado White Fir 1B

Abies concolor ’Olson WB’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Abies concolor ’Olson’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

93-018 Abies concolor (St. John's Broom) St. Johns Colorado White Fir 1B

Abies concolor ’St. John’s Broom’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

97-001 Abies concolor (Stanwood) Stanwood Colorado White Fir 1B

Abies concolor ’Stanwood’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

06-097 Abies concolor 'Archer's Dwarf' Archers Dwarf Colorado White Fir 1B

88-007 Abies concolor 'Candicans' Hoary White Fir 10F

Abies concolor ’Candicans’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Abies concolor ’Compacta’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

93-016 Abies concolor 'Conica' Cone Shaped Colorado White Fir 2CC

Abies concolor ’Conica’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

91-085 Abies concolor 'Gable's Weeping' Gables Weeping Colorado White Fir 1DD

93-017 Abies concolor 'Gable's Weeping' Gables Weeping Colorado White Fir 2CC

Abies concolor ’Gable’s Weeping’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

95-061 Abies concolor 'Glauca Compacta' Compact Blue Colorado White Fir 3CC

97-002 Abies fraseri (Brandon Recker) Brandon Recker Fraser Fir 1B

99-016 Abies fraseri (Franklin) Franklin Fraser Fir 1B

Abies fraseri ’Franklin’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

81-014 Abies fraseri Fraser Fir 2C

Abies fraseri ’Prostrata’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Abies fraseri ’Vashti’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

91-219 Abies homolepis Nikko Fir 3DD

Abies homolepis Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

96-125 Abies koreana 'Aurea' Golden Korean Fir 1CC

Abies koreana ’Aurea’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

95-003 Abies koreana 'Compact Dwarf' Compact Dwarf Korean Fir 2CC

95-037 Abies koreana 'Nanaimo' Nanaimo Korean Fir 3DD

Abies koreana ’Nanaimo’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

94-001 Abies koreana 'Silberlocke' Silberlocke Korean Fir 1CC

Abies koreana ’Silberlocke’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

10-011 Abies koreana 'Tundra' Tundra Korean Fir 1CC

96-138 Abies lasiocarpa 'Arizonica Compacta' Compact Alpine Fir 2CC

Abies lasiocarpa arizonica ’Compacta’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica ’Compacta’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

02-056 Abies lasiocarpa 'Mulligan's Dwarf' Mulligans Dwarf Alpine Fir 1CC

81-078 Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica Corkbark Fir 2B

98-078 Abies sibirica Siberian Fir 1A

Chamaecyparis pisifera ’Filifera Aurea’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Chamaecyparis pisifera ’Filifera Aureovariegata’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

92-004 Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea Nana' Dwarf Yellowthread Sawara Cypress 2CC

Chamaecyparis pisifera ’Filifera Aurea Nana’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

06-098 Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Gold Spangle' Gold Spangle Sawara Cypress 2CC

92-003 Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Golden Mop' Golden Mop Sawara Cypress 2CC

Chamaecyparis pisifera ’Golden Mop’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

08-012 Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Golden Pincushion' Golden Pincushion Sawara Cypress 1B

91-240 Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Lemon Thread' Lemon Thread Sawara Cypress 1DD

Chamaecyparis pisifera ’Lemon Thread’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Chamaecyperis pisifera ’Lutea’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

06-099 Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Plumosa Compressa' Compressed Plume Sawara Falsecypress 3CC

Chamaecyparis pisifera ’Plumosa Compressa’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

92-005 Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Squarrosa Pygmaea' Pygmy Moss Sawara Cypress 2A

92-146 Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Sungold' Sungold Sawara Cypress 1DD

96-118 Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Sungold' Sungold Sawara Cypress 1CC

Chamaecyparis pisifera ’Sungold’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

10-020 Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Tsukumo' Tsukumo Sawara Cypress 1B

80-130 Chamaecyparis pisifera Sawara Falsecypress 10B

80-133 Chamaecyparis pisifera Sawara Falsecypress 10C

97-003 Chamaecyparis thyoides 'Little Jamie' Little Jamie White Cedar 1B

Chamaecyparis thyoides ’Little Jamie’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

Chamaecyparis thyoides ’Rubicon’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

10-021 Chamaecyparis thyoides 'Top Point' Top Point White Cedar 1CC

Chamaecyparis thyoides ’Top Point’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

78-135 Ginkgo biloba 'Fastigiata' Sentry Ginkgo 5F

03-124 Ginkgo biloba 'Magyar' Ginkgo Nursery

08-042 Ginkgo biloba 'Majestic Butterfly' Majestic Butterfly Nursery

05-071 Ginkgo biloba 'Mariken' Mariken Ginkgo Nursery

82-001 Ginkgo biloba 'Princeton Sentry' Princeton Sentry Ginkgo 2EE

82-056 Ginkgo biloba 'Princeton Sentry' Princeton Sentry Ginkgo 10E

07-031 Ginkgo biloba 'Thelma' Thelma Dwarf Ginkgo 3A

67-004 Ginkgo biloba Ginkgo 3A

91-243 Juniperus communis 'Effusa' Effusa Common Juniper 1DD

06-100 Juniperus communis 'Gold Cone' Gold Cone Common Juniper 1BB

09-039 Juniperus communis 'Kalebab' Kalebab Common Juniper 1A

Juniperus communis ’Kalebab’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

78-159 Juniperus horizontalis 'Bar Harbor' Bar Harbor Creeping Juniper 2B

06-032 Juniperus horizontalis 'Gold Fever' Gold Fever Creeping Juniper 1B

95-081 Juniperus horizontalis 'Mother Lode' Mother Lode Creeping Juniper 1CC

Juniperus horizontalis ’Motherload’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

93-096 Juniperus horizontalis 'Wiltonii' Blue Rug Creeping Juniper 2B

91-108 Juniperus squamata 'Blue Carpet' Blue Carpet Singleseed Juniper 9F

03-251 Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' Blue Star Singleseed Juniper 2A

88-026 Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' Blue Star Singleseed Juniper 1BB

93-112 Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' Blue Star Singleseed Juniper 2A

82-050 Juniperus virginiana 'Blue Mountain' Blue Mountain Redcedar 6C

96-180 Juniperus virginiana 'Blue Mountain' Blue Mountain Redcedar 6D

07-033 Juniperus virginiana 'Canaertii' Canaert Redcedar 5A

66-013 Juniperus virginiana 'Hillii' Hill Dundee Redcedar 4A

66-016 Juniperus virginiana 'Hillii' Hill Dundee Redcedar 5A

66-017 Juniperus virginiana 'Hillii' Hill Dundee Redcedar 6A

66-007 Juniperus virginiana 'Hillspire' Hillspire Redcedar 6A

85-026 Juniperus virginiana 'Reptans' Prostrate Eastern Red Cedar 1BB

80-024 Juniperus x pfitzeriana 'Arctic' Arctic Pfitzer Juniper 3C

79-048 Juniperus x pfitzeriana 'Glauca' Blue Pfitzer Juniper 2C

78-138 Juniperus x pfitzeriana 'Kallay's Compact' Kallay's Compact Pfitzer Juniper 3C

98-076 Juniperus x pfitzeriana 'Klehm Compact' Klehm Compact Pfitzer Juniper 3C

78-008 Juniperus x pfitzeriana 'Wilhelm Pfitzer' Pfitzer Juniper 3C

Larix decidua ’Gossard D’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA

96-016 Larix decidua (Himmel Broom) Himmel European Larch 2DD

Larix decidua ’Himmel Broom’ Dax Herbst in Bickelhaupt Arb IA USA