Bob McCartney

First published in Oak News & Notes Vol. 18, No. 1, 2014.

Bob McCartney in his element, surrounded by plants at Woodlanders Nursery in Aiken, SC, USA.

A virtual botanic dictionary wrapped in a smooth southern drawl, Virginia born and longtime IOS member Bob McCartney is a rarity among nurserymen. Bob started with Woodlanders Nursery in Aiken, South Carolina more than 30 years ago and soon took over operation of the nursery. This was around the same time Bob started working with the City of Aiken planting trees and shrubs in various areas of the city. Bob also worked on several private estates in Aiken, planting many trees and shrubs. And these were no ordinary, run-of-the-mill trees and shrubs. Since Woodlanders specializes in rare and unusual plant material, Bob began using some of this material to plant around the city. Over the years, Bob has slowly built a botanic treasure with few peers. His efforts have not gone unnoticed, as this past July the Mayor of Aiken proclaimed July 14 as Bob McCartney Day.

Many of the rare plants placed around Aiken were collected on expeditions Bob has taken over the years. These trips have taken Bob to Argentina, France, Mexico, and several US states. Many of the oaks now planted around Aiken were collected by Bob at IOS conferences or gifted to him by friends made through the IOS. Naturally, one

Quercus inopina, one of Bob's favorite oaks, in the Citywide Arboretum at Aiken.

of his favorite taxa is Quercus and the City of Aiken is home to one of the most comprehensive oak collections in the United States. The collection includes some of the rarest oaks in the world, a fact helped out immensely by the ideal mix of sandy, low pH soils, and USDA zone 8, not to mention the fact that South Carolina boasts one of the highest numbers of oak species native to one state. Oaks from Mexico, Japan, China, and most parts of the US all grow very well here. Truly a botanist’s dream come true.

When asked what his favorite oak was, Bob’s reply was something like: “Well, should my favorite oak be Quercus alba, which is everyone's favorite if only because it provides the barrels for Jack Daniel’s whiskey? I like Q. laevis which is common on my property, but regarded with contempt as "scrub oak" by most neighbors, or a real scrub oak like Q. inopina which most people have never heard of. Then of course I do really like Q. affinis from Mexico.” A reply that sounds very familiar.

Two areas that have received Bob’s attention are The Rye Patch and Hopelands Gardens. These were once private estates, but are now public gardens. Between these two areas Bob has planted over 200 plants that are now a significant part of each collection. Then there are the city tree trails that Bob has had a heavy hand putting in place. This includes two mile-long stretches of oaks as well as a mile-long stretch of rare trees and  

One of Bob's two mile-long plantations of oaks at Aiken

shrubs that run along Colleton Avenue in Aiken. Most of these trees were planted by Bob over the years.

Bob hosted an Oak Open Day event this past November in Aiken (see “Aiken Oak Open Days,” ON&N Vol. 18, No. 1, p.6) and it was a real pleasure for this novice to listen to attendees such as Allen Coombes and Guy Sternberg talk plants with Bob as he led our tours. I must admit it was hard to keep up, but very enjoyable nonetheless. Quick to joke, a fantastic story teller, and humble to his core, Bob McCartney is one of the members that makes the IOS a great organization.

Ryan Russell

Photos: Roderick Cameron