Old gnarled catalpas, majestic sugar maples, huge American hollies, an American boxwood hedge around the Confederate Section, and the entrance drive lined with ancient Atlantic White Cedars—these formed the bones of the original landscape. In 1994 hundreds of new trees were planted throughout the cemetery. With the initial guidance of noted restoration landscape architect, Rudy J. Favretti, the varieties were selected to enhance this historic landmark both horticulturally and aesthetically.
There are now over 100 different varieties of trees, including noteworthy oak and magnolia collections, in this cemetery arboretum. Other 19th-century plantings to complement the arboretum collections include perennials, vines, and old varieties of daffodils (Rijnveld’s Early Sensation, Carlton, Telamonium plena ‘Butter and Eggs’, Narcissus biflorus, et al.). Some of the trees were difficult to obtain commercially and had to be started as seedling “whips”; others were transported from great distances.
The following list is of the unusual and specimen trees and shrubs found throughout the cemetery. It does not include those already listed in the Earley Memorial Shrub Garden. Refer to the map in the center of the Horticulture Guide booklet to coordinate locations.
Specimen and Unusual Trees, Large Shrubs & Vines in the Old City Cemetery
| Location | Botanical Name | Common Name |
| 3C | Abies concolor | White (Concolor) Fir |
| 2E | Acer platanoides | Norway Maple |
| 1E | Acer saccharinum | Silver Maple |
| 2B | Acer saccharum | Sugar Maple |
| 4F-G | Acer rubrum | Red Maple |
| 7C | Aesculus carnea | Red flowering Horsechestnut |
| 6A | Ailanthus altissima | Tree of Heaven |
| 7B | Albizia julibrissin | Mimosa or Silk tree |
| 4F | Amelanchier arborea | Shadblow, Serviceberry |
| 3E | Betula nigra | River Birch |
| 7E | Broussonetia papyrifera | Paper Mulberry |
| 5B | Buxus sempervirens | American Boxwood |
| 2B | Buxus sempervirens suffruticosa | Old English Boxwood |
| 2E | Carya illinoensis | Pecan |
| 2G | Castanea mollissima | Chinese Chestnut |
| 1C-D | Catalpa speciosa | Catalpa, Indian Bean, Cigar-tree |
| 6B | Cedrus atlantica Glauca’ | Blue Atlas Cedar |
| 5C | Cedrus deodara | Deodara Cedar |
| 3C | Celastrus arbiculatus | Bittersweet |
| 2E | Celtis occidentalis | Hackberry |
| 6C | Cercidiphyllum japonicum | Katsura |
| 5F | Cercis canadensis | Redbud |
| 5F | Cercis canadensis alba | White Redbud |
| 1E | Chamaecyparis obtusa | Hinoki Falsecypress |
| 1C | Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Squarrosa’ | Moss Falsecypress |
| Driveway | Chamaecyparis thyoides | Atlantic Whitecedar |
| 4F | Cladrastis kentuckea | Yellowwood |
| 6C | Cornus florida | White Dogwood |
| 5B | Cornus kousa | Kousa Dogwood |
| 5F | Cryptomeria japonica ‘Yoshino’ | Cryptomeria |
| 5B | Cunninghamia lanceolata | Blue Chinafir |
| 6C | Cytisus scoparia | Scotchbroom |
| 6E | Diospyros virginiana | American Persimmon |
| 6B | Eleagnus augustifolia | Russian Olive |
| 4C | Fagus grandiflora | American Beech |
| 3C | Fagus sylvatica ‘Riversii’ | Purple Beech |
| 4F | Forsythia intermedia | Weeping Forsythia |
| 5A | Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Green Ash |
| 5B | Ginko biloba ‘Magyar’ | Maidenhair tree |
| 6C | Gleditsia triacanthos | Honeylocust |
| 3E | Gymnocladus dioicus | Kentucky Coffeetree |
| 1E | Hibiscus syriacus | Althea, Rose-of-Sharon |
| 5C | Ilex cornuta burfodi nana | Dwarf Burford Holly |
| 2D,B | Ilex opaca | American Holly |
| 6F | Jasminum nudiflorum | Winter Jasmine |
| 4F | Juniperus communis ‘Hibernica’ | Irish Juniper |
| 1B | Juniperus virginiana | Eastern Redcedar |
| 6C-E | Koelreuteria paniculata | Goldenraintree |
| 4G | Laburnum x waterer ‘vossi’ | Goldenchain Tree |
| 2F | Liquidambar styraciflua | Sweetgum |
| 3B | Liriodendron tulipfera | Tulip Poplar |
| 4C | Lonicera fragrantissima | Winter Honeysuckle |
| 4C | Lonicera tartarica | Tartarian Honeysuckle |
| 4C | Lonicera sempervirens | Red trumpet Honeysuckle |
| 4C | Lonicera tartarica ‘Arnold Red’ | Arnold’s Red Honeysuckle |
| 3B | Maclura pomitera | Osage Orange |
| 4A | Magnolia acuminata | Cucumbertree |
| 4B | Magnolia grandiflora | Southern Magnolia |
| 4B | Magnolia soulangiana | Saucer Magnolia |
| 4B | Magnolia stellata | Star Magnolia |
| 5B | Magnolia tripetala | Umbrella Magnolia |
| 4B | Magnolia virginiana | Sweetbay Magnolia |
| 2G | Mahonia belei | Mahonia |
| 3G | Malus floribunda | Japanese Crabapple |
| 4B | Morus alba | White Mulberry |
| 5G | Morus alba pendula | Weeping White Mulberry |
| 4E | Myrica ceriferi | Southern Waxmyrtle |
| 5A | Nyssa sylvatica | Tupelo, Black Gum |
| 3F,H | Oxydendrum arboreum | Sourwood |
| 3A | Paulownia tomentosa | Empress or Princess tree |
| 5B | Photinia x frazeri Frazer | Photinia, Red Tip |
| 2G | Picea abies | Norway Spruce |
| 2A | Pinus strobus | Eastern White Pine |
| 3H | Pinus sylvestris | Scotch Pine |
| 5G | Pinus taeda | Loblolly Pine |
| 5G | Pinus virginiana | Virginia Pine, Scrub Pine |
| 3H | Platanus occidentalis | Sycamore |
| 2B | Prunus serotina | Black Cherry |
| 5B | Prunus subhirtella ‘Pendula’ | Weeping Higan Cherry |
| 3D | Quercus alba | White Oak |
| 3A | Quercus bicolor | Swamp White Oak |
| 2C | Quercus coccinea | Scarlet Oak |
| 7D | Quercus falcata | Southern Red Oak |
| 3B | Quercus macrocarpa | Bur Oak |
| 4C | Quercus nigra | Water Oak |
| 2E | Quercus palustris | Pin Oak |
| 3C | Quercus phellos | Willow Oak |
| 4B | Quercus prinus | Chestnut Oak |
| 3C | Quercus robur | English Oak |
| 2G | Rhamnus frangula | Glossy Buckthorn, Alder Buckthorn |
| 3C | Rhus typhina | Staghorn sumac |
| 1F | Robinia pseudoacacia | Black Locust |
| 3H | Salix babylonica | Weeping Willow |
| 6F | Sassafras albidum | Sassafras |
| 5F-G | Sophora japonica | Japanese Pagodatree, Scholar-tree |
| 3C | Spiraea cantoniensis ‘Lanceata’ | Double Reeves Spirea |
| 3C | Spiraea x vanhouttei | Vanhouttei Spirea |
| 3C | Syringa vulgaris | Common Lilac |
| 4F | Taxodium distichum | Bald Cyrpress |
| 2G | Taxus x media ‘Densiformus’ | Spreading Yew |
| 5D | Thuja occidentalis | Northern Whitecedar |
| 2B | Thuja orientalis globasa | Oriental Globe Arborvitae |
| 4A | Tilia cordata | Littleleaf Linden |
| 3E | Ulmus americana | American Elm |
| 3F | Ulmus species | Elm |
| 1D | Wisteria frutescens | American Wisteria |
| 3G | Zelkova serrata | Japanese Zelkova |
Memorial Trees
The renovations and establishment of the 19th-century cemetery arboretum were a project of the Southern Memorial Association and were begun in 1994 with the generous early help of the Easley Foundation, Hillside Garden Club, Keep Lynchburg Beautiful Commission, and numerous civic groups and individuals.
Many people have been remembered by the planting of a tree in their honor. Many others gave funds for general tree planting to ensure the future beauty of the cemetery.
Planting of memorial trees and shrubs continues on a seasonal basis using varieties chosen from a list of horticultural “needs and wants.” Please contact the office of the Southern Memorial Association in the Cemetery Center for more information.
