Dr. Don Williams, former head of the Ornamental Horticulture Department, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, was a very demanding professor to his students. He was also a very wise individual and mentor to hundreds, if not thousands, of students and professionals in the green industry. It would be appropriate to say that he was a legend in his field.

This story is part of a commencement address to graduating students. It reflects his mentorship well.

I am a horticulturist and have been since I graduated from here exactly 40 years ago. The following short story is based upon horticultural fact. However, if you listen between the lines, you may realize that I may not be talking about horticulture at all.

A gardener decided a tree was needed to improve the landscape, one that would grow tall and be admired by everyone. A young tree was planted.

Not wanting any harm to come to the tree and to give it every chance for survival, a stake was driven by the tree and ties were used to hold the tree firmly to the stake. Upon appropriate input of things for growth, the tree flourished. It grew upward and appeared very healthy.

As it grew, more ties were added to hold the tree firmly to the stake. Although the gardener was pleased, it became obvious that a tall, vigorous tree could not forever be kept tied to a stake. After about four-and-a-half years, on a day about like today, the ties were removed and the stake pulled from the ground. The tree stood alone.

The tree stood and seemed to have benefited from the close support for the several years. However, the first evening there was a storm, and not a very strong one at that. The next day the gardener found the tree bent, with the tip touching the ground.

The gardener was greatly distressed but noted that the tree was not broken, even though it was bent. It was not clear to the gardener why, after such careful attention and close support, the tree could not stand on its own.

Research showed that a tree held tightly to stake and not allowed to bend in response to the elements does not grow strong in the main body, even though it appears to be healthy.

Further research revealed that a tree can benefit from a stake and being anchored to the stake, but the ties, no matter how strong, must be kept loose enough to allow the tree to bend in response to the environment, and this will strengthen the trunk.

Then, when the day comes that the ties, no matter how strong they have been, need to be removed, the tree will stand on its own, and not even a strong storm will prevent continued growth in the preferred direction. Now the gardener can be proud.

Copyright: Excerpt, August 1996, University of Tennessee, Mace Bearer Speech by Professor Don Williams, Ph.D.

W. Jim Cortese is author of “John Muir Climbs a Tree, and Other Tree Tales,” a book in the process of being published, hopefully by the end of 2024. This tale is Chapter 22. This book is an anthology of tree stories collected by Cortese over his almost 50-year arboricultural career.