History of Heritage Trees

Written By: Wiley Sloan | Issue: 2018/08 - August

In addition to The Peggy Crosby Center’s role as a provider of cost-effective office space for non-profit organizations valuable to our community, it’s also the perfect classroom to learn about native plants of the Plateau. 

For many years, the Laurel Garden Club has donated funds to the center for landscaping with native plants and for preserving our historically significant trees. 

Club member Lila Howland explains the reason for this year’s grant: “The project, which is a work in progress that will evolve over several seasons, involves planting low growing evergreens, native grasses, ground covers and native wildflowers on the southern exit drive.  On the front bank plans include adding dense plantings of native warm season grasses and flowering perennials that can also support pollinator species for our native plants.  Through signage these areas can be an educational resource for our community in the use of native plants.”

Funding from The Garden Club grant will provide for preservation of heritage trees.  Two non-native species on the PCC property are believed to have been planted by Dr. Thomas G.  Harbison, noted botanist and one of the early settlers of Highlands.  Harbison bought Highlands Founder Samuel T. Kelsey’s house and property in 1893.  One tree that’s believed to have been grown from seed by Dr. Harbison, dominates the main parking lot.  Once identified as a Fraser fir native to the Highlands-Cashiers  Plateau, that identification was questioned when other Frasers were killed by parasites in the 1970’s while this tree flourished.  During a storm, some seed cones were blown down.  Thorough evaluation of these seeds determined that the tree was actually a European Silver Fir – a Fraser look-alike which is native to the mountains of Europe from the Pyrenees north to Normandy, east to the Alps and beyond. 

Another stand of trees has naturalized from the Nordmann Firs raised from seed by Dr. Harbison and planted south of the current PCC property line.  Nordmann firs are native to the mountains south and east of the Black Sea in Turkey, Georgia and the Russian Caucasus.

PCC’s proudest native and historic tree is the Franklinia located near the front walkway.  All Franklinias are descended from the seed collected by William Bertram in Georgia around 1776. Its lovely and fragrant fall blossom is the logo of the Peggy Crosby Center.

Come stroll the Crosby Center property.  Listen to the birds sing, smell the freshness of the mountain air and revel in

nature’s beauty.