Nevin, Cathryn Wong
About Cathryn Wong Nevin
This tree, a Kwanzan cherry, was dedicated to Cathryn Wong Nevin, a preschool teacher at the Center of Young Children (CYC). She worked with the CYC from 2001 to 2004.1 In addition to working at the CYC, Nevin taught at the Community Playgroup and Tappan Zee Elementary School in Piermont, New York, as well as Pinellas County Schools in St. Petersburg, Florida.2 Later on, she was diagnosed with a form of lymphoma, eventually leading to her passing.1
1. Email Conversation with Leslie C. Oppenheimer, Curriculum & Enrollment Coordinator at the Center for Young Children Lab School
2. https://obits.lohud.com/us/obituaries/lohud/name/cathryn-nevin-obituary?pid=158214670
About the Kwanzan Cherry
The tree dedicated to Cathryn Wong Bevin is a located in the playground at the Center for Young Children. It is a Kwanzan cherry tree (Prunus serrulata), a beautiful, double-flowering cherry tree known for its bright pink blossoms that bloom from April into early May. The leaves on the tree have an alternating pattern with serrated margins. As the seasons change into fall, the leaves turn into a reddish-copper, making them a standout in the fall. Unlike other cherry trees, the Kwanzan cherry tree does not have fruit and can mature to sizes up to 40 feet with an average spread of 35 feet. It has a vase-shaped figure that spreads out at the top as the tree reaches maturity. This Kwanzan cherry tree has a bench located underneath it for guests to sit in the shade and enjoy the beauty that it has to offer.
https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?ItemID=813
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/prunus-kanzan/
Photos and text by Arboretum intern, Julianne Ramey