Liquidambar styraciflua 'Stared' - Amber Tree 'Stared'

He has always been interested in biology, says Thomas Lohrer. So, the decision to train as a nurseryman and later to study Horticulture in Osnabrück and Hanover was a very logical development. His conclusive training and career path led him in 1994 to today's Institute of Horticulture at the Centre for Research and Knowledge Transfer (ZFW), where he now heads the Plant Protection Laboratory. His enthusiasm for plant protection was "implanted" in him during his studies by two professors who were passionate about the subject. In the meantime, the plant protection specialist has published a whole series of technical books. Many also feature the author's photographs of diseases and pests in the kitchen and ornamental gardens.

The 57-year-old is not only on fire for his subject: He loves photography and is very passionate about pushing new media at the University of Applied Sciences. The weekly podcast on diseases and pests he published from 2008 to 2011 came second in the European Podcast Awards 2010. The OPEN vhb-course on plant protection, which he developed with his team in 2019, was awarded the Comenius EduMedia Medal as a pioneering digital educational medium.

In addition to specialist knowledge, didactic and methodological competence, the conception and implementation of a suitable online course also requires a great deal of creativity. The native of Bonn also likes to demonstrate this when it comes to original and individual gift packaging for family and friends. That benefits not least his partner Christina Stegner: "He does it brilliantly! For example, as a staff councillor and association chairwoman, I have to send gifts now and then. With his support, not only the gift idea is right, but also the presentation!" enthuses the teacher, who teaches German and history at the secondary school in Bad Aibling. And even though she doesn't have much to do with biology, as Lohrer explains with a laugh, she loves her garden, and there is a lot that connects the two. As an IT system supporter at her school, Christina Stegner underpins her colleagues' digital lessons with training courses, among other things. She says that would be completely independent of his passion for new media. But once they had caught fire for a topic, there was no stopping them from digging in and keeping at it. That was also the case with their shared hobby: for her son's dance class prom, she had suggested learning a few basic steps herself. In the meantime, both have become enthusiastic standard and Latin dancers who, thanks to Corona, now sometimes spend Sunday afternoons swinging in the living room instead of a dance party or ball to practise their dance steps.

Of course, the tree sponsorship is also a joint project of the friendly team. "This will be our couple's tree!" says Christina Stegner, who further tells us at the end of the conversation that the two will be getting married next year. This couple tree in the arboretum will certainly develop splendidly under the strict eyes of the plant protector - and we wish them the same for their future relationship as a married couple.

Distribution: Southeastern North America to southern Illinois, west to eastern Texas, south to Florida, riparian forests, mixed deciduous forests.

Size: 4 to 5 metres high and 2 to 3 metres wide

Leaves: deciduous, alternate, maple-like, 5-7-lobed, 12 to 15 cm wide, deep purple, purple-brown, yellow-orange, wine-red in autumn

Flower: green spikes, pendulous long-stalked spherical heads

Fruits: spherical, woody capsules