My favorite tree I’ve discovered in our expansive landscape is the Asiatic sweetleaf, Symplocos paniculata (1948-80*A), found in the small open field between the lilacs and birches on Bussey Hill. The dark pea-sized berries it produces are a deep blue, reminiscent of a summer evening, when the sky transitions, like a freshly painted watercolor, to a rich blue as the setting sun transects the horizon. They also remind me of the vibrant blues in sometsuke, the blue and white porcelain pottery originating from Japan. Before the berries emerge, the short tree can be easily glanced over, as the unsuspecting beauty and seemingly unnatural blues remain a hidden secret. Come back in different seasons to experience this tree in all its stages.