On our visit to the New York Botanical Garden, Justyna was surprised to find a display of conifers she had never heard of, notably varieties of Pinus strobus unlisted in Europe. The name plates showed: "Sydney Waxman Introduction". And who is Sydney Waxman? Eventually, the mystery was revealed by a memorial plate of the following content:  

"For more than three decades, Dr. Sydney Waxman searched for exciting new conifers for gardens. His work in his research nursery at the University of Connecticut focused on witches' brooms - clusters of dense, congested growth on otherwise normal plants. Early in his career, Dr. Waxman discovered that seeds collected from cones on witches' brooms produce a high percentage of dwarf and unusual seedlings. Dr. Waxman grew thousands of these seedlings, often waiting  more than 20 years until deciding that a new plant is unusual, beautiful, and resilient enough to be named and propagated. The plants in this display feature Dr. Waxman selections, particularly varieties of eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) which he generously shared with the New York Botanical Garden."