An Original Landscape

The Benjamin West House is the birthplace of American painter Benjamin West (1738-1820). Best known for his paintings The Death of General Wolfe (c.1771) and The Treaty of Penn with Indians (1772), he lived in Europe for much of his life, served as a painter under King George III, and influenced the development of historical paintings in both Britain and America. In 1966, the house was designated a historic landmark, and today it serves as Swarthmore College's Visitor Information Center. Magnolia virginiana var. australis 'Henry Hicks' is a cultivar selected by John Wister, the first director of the Scott Arboretum. Named after Long Island nurseryman Henry Hicks, it was selected for its tendency to remain evergreen in winter. The species is one of the few magnolias that grow well in marshy and poorly drained soils. Native to the coastal plains, it can be identified by its single, white, spring-to-summer blooms, its dark-green glossy upper leaf, and its pale, glaucous underside, and it thrives in full sun. Of the world's 304 wild magnolia species, over half are threatened with extinction. Magnolias are a beloved ornamental group of shrubs and trees that emit sweet fragrances from blossoms of white, yellow, pink, red, and purple, and they can be found in North America, Central America, South America, and eastern Asia. Among the oldest flowering plants, magnolias are used in various cultures for medicinal purposes. The Scott Arboretum's magnolia collection, found here and scattered around campus, contains close to 150 types of magnolias and is recognized by the Plant Collections Network as a Nationally Accredited Plant Collection, including M. denudata, M. stellata, M. grandiflora, and M. virginiana.

Swarthmore, Pennsylvania · United States