Keizer Rotary
Wilbur Bluhm Arboretum

RI President Ian H.S. Riseley challenged all 1.2 million Rotarians to take action on Earth Day 2018 to plant a tree.

Mark Caillier and Wilbur Bluhm holding the Wilbur Bluhm Arboretum sign

About Wilbur Bluhm

For over 50 years Wilbur Bluhm (Emeritus, OSU Extension Service) of Keizer has studied, recorded, and inventoried over 2,000 perennial plants in the greater Keizer area. Focusing on our community’s trees and their seasonal and environmental changes Wilbur has been instrumental in developing a data base used by Oregon State Univesrity and a list of trees recommended by the City of Keizer. With over 53 years of perfect attendance in Rotary and as a current member of the Rotary Club of Keizer who exemplifies the Rotary Motto of “service above self,” we applaud Wilbur’s accomplishments and honor him with the establishmnet of this arboretum.

Mark Caillier and Wilbur Bluhm holding the Wilbur Bluhm Arboretum sign

Earth Day, 2018— people around the world helped protect our planet by cleaning up their communities, planting trees, contacting elected officials to urge support for environmental protection, or otherwise showing their support for renewable energy and conservation.

For Keizer Rotary that meant planting 76 trees. To this end, Keizer Rotary sought a partnership with the City of Keizer and the Claggett Creek Watershed Council to create a “Keizer Rotary Arboretum.” The final product allows public inspection of “recommended trees” growing in a natural setting using signage, a project map, and internet technology.

Where

The arboretum is located in Keizer Rapids Park. Soil conditions including drainage, area size availability, proximity to water for irrigation, parking, pedestrian access, and area planning were among the criteria considered for selecting the location. The arboretum is near the east border of the park, starting from the Willamette River and running primarily north. As the trees mature, the sound barrier between the neighborhood to the east and Keizer Rotary Amphitheater to the west will improve.

Environmental Impact

The size of the tree at maturity including the expected canopy as well as the nature of the root system has been taken into consideration. It is anticipated some trees will be planted west of the walkway but not to encroach on the current concept of an “open field” as detailed in the KRP master plan. Irrigation water is readily available at this site. An appropriate irrigation system will eventually need to be installed to avoid hand watering.

The Trees

Accolade Elm

Accolade Elm

Akebono Flowering Cherry

Akebono Flowering Cherry

American Hophornbeam

American Hophornbeam

American Yellowwood

American Yellowwood

Apollo Sugar Maple

Apollo Sugar Maple

Arapaho Crape Myrtle

Arapaho Crape Myrtle

‘Aristocrat’ Callery Pear

‘Aristocrat’ Callery Pear

Ashe Magnolia

Ashe Magnolia

Atrovirens Western Red Cedar

Atrovirens Western Red Cedar

Autumn Blaze Maple

Autumn Blaze Maple

‘Autumn Gold’ Ginko

‘Autumn Gold’ Ginko

Bloodgood Japanese Maple

Bloodgood Japanese Maple

Blue Weeping Atlas Cedar

Blue Weeping Atlas Cedar

Bosnian Pine

Bosnian Pine

Cardinal Royal Mountain Ash

Cardinal Royal Mountain Ash

Carmine Red Witchhazel

Carmine Red Witchhazel

Chanticleer Pear

Chanticleer Pear

Cherokee Brave Eastern Dogwood

Cherokee Brave Eastern Dogwood

Coastal Redwood

Coastal Redwood

Colrigo Giant Pacific Dogwood

Colrigo Giant Pacific Dogwood

Dawn Redwood

Dawn Redwood

Dura Heat River Birch

Dura Heat River Birch

Dwarf Southern Catalpa

Dwarf Southern Catalpa

Dynamite Crape Myrtle

Dynamite Crape Myrtle

Eastern Forest Pansy Redbud

Eastern Forest Pansy Redbud

Eddie’s White Wonder Hybrid Dogwood

Eddie’s White Wonder Hybrid Dogwood

Elizabeth Magnolia

Elizabeth Magnolia

Evergreen Magnolia

Evergreen Magnolia

‘Fastigiata’ English Oak

‘Fastigiata’ English Oak

Fernleaf Fullmoon Maple

Fernleaf Fullmoon Maple

Frans Fountaine Hornbeam

Frans Fountaine Hornbeam

Golden Deodar Cedar

Golden Deodar Cedar

Goldenrain Tree

Goldenrain Tree

Grapeleaf Fullmoon Maple

Grapeleaf Fullmoon Maple

Green Pillar Pin Oak

Green Pillar Pin Oak

Hedge Maple

Hedge Maple

Heritage River Birch

Heritage River Birch

Hot Wings Tatarian Maple

Hot Wings Tatarian Maple

Ivory Silk Japanese Tree Lilac

Ivory Silk Japanese Tree Lilac

Japanese Snowbell

Japanese Snowbell

Japanese Stewartia

Japanese Stewartia

Japanese Umbrella Pine

Japanese Umbrella Pine

Jelena Witchhazel

Jelena Witchhazel

Joe Witt Stripebark Maple

Joe Witt Stripebark Maple

Kanzan Flowering Cherry

Kanzan Flowering Cherry

Katsura Tree

Katsura Tree

Kentucky Coffeetree

Kentucky Coffeetree

Kousa Dogwood

Kousa Dogwood

Legacy Sugar Maple

Legacy Sugar Maple

Lily Magnolia

Lily Magnolia

Manchurian Stripebark Maple

Manchurian Stripebark Maple

Musashino Japanese Zelkova

Musashino Japanese Zelkova

Northern Red Oak

Northern Red Oak

‘Okame’ Cherry

‘Okame’ Cherry

Orangeola Japanese Maple

Orangeola Japanese Maple

Oregon White Oak

Oregon White Oak

Pacific Fire Vine Maple

Pacific Fire Vine Maple

Paperbark Birch

Paperbark Birch

Paperbark Maple

Paperbark Maple

Patriot Elm

Patriot Elm

Persion Ironwood

Persion Ironwood

Phoenix Hybrid Maple

Phoenix Hybrid Maple

Pink Heartbreaker Weeping Redbud

Pink Heartbreaker Weeping Redbud

Princeton Sentry Maidenhair Tree

Princeton Sentry Maidenhair Tree

‘Purpea Pendula’ European Beech

‘Purpea Pendula’ European Beech

Purple-leaved Smoketree

Purple-leaved Smoketree

Quaking Aspen

Quaking Aspen

Radiant Rose Chinese Dogwood

Radiant Rose Chinese Dogwood

Raywood Ash

Raywood Ash

Red Maple

Red Maple

Red Snakebark Maple

Red Snakebark Maple

Red Sunset Red Maple

Red Sunset Red Maple

Redvein Maple

Redvein Maple

Rocky Mt. Glow Maple

Rocky Mt. Glow Maple

Royal Star Magnolia

Royal Star Magnolia

Sargent Cherry

Sargent Cherry

Saucer Magnolia

Saucer Magnolia

Scarlet Oak

Scarlet Oak

Seiryu Japanese Maple

Seiryu Japanese Maple

Seven Son Flower

Seven Son Flower

‘Shademaster’ Thornless Honeylocust

‘Shademaster’ Thornless Honeylocust

Shishigashira Japanese Maple

Shishigashira Japanese Maple

Shumard Oak

Shumard Oak

Snakebark Maple

Snakebark Maple

Sour Gum, or Black Gum

Sour Gum, or Black Gum

Tall Stewartia

Tall Stewartia

Tuliptree

Tuliptree

Twombly’s Red Sentinel Japanese Maple

Twombly’s Red Sentinel Japanese Maple

Vanderwolf’s Pyramid

Vanderwolf’s Pyramid

Venus Hybrid Dogwood

Venus Hybrid Dogwood

Village Green Japanese Zelkova

Village Green Japanese Zelkova

Vossi Goldenchain Tree

Vossi Goldenchain Tree

Weeping Cedar of Lebanon

Weeping Cedar of Lebanon

Weeping Green Japanese Maple

Weeping Green Japanese Maple

Weeping Katsura

Weeping Katsura

Winter King

Winter King

Information provided by:

Oregon State University’s “Landscape Plants” database

University of Florida’s Tree Fact Sheet Collection

Washington State University’s “Northwest Plants Database System”

Warren, Keith S., and Michael A. Dirr. The Tree Book: Superior Selections for Landscapes, Streetscapes, and Gardens. Timber Press, 2019.

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