Trees – Page 3 – Tendrils

Juniper Berries

Best buds at the old watering hole. I often see Cedar Waxwings and American Robins hanging out together. — **Best buds at the old watering hole. I often see Cedar Waxwings and American Robins hanging out together**

A pioneer tree or bush, depending on your thoughts, and its growing conditions, Eastern Red Cedar, Juniperus virginiana, is often one of the first to move into a field that has been cleared.

Here they are, hanging out again. This time, they're at the "Juniper Berry Cafeteria." — **Here they are, hanging out again. This time, they’re at the “Juniper Berry Cafeteria.”**

Eastern Red Cedars are actually Junipers. They play an important role in the lives of a long list of insects, birds and mammals. From the Juniper Hairstreak, to the Northern Bobwhite, to the White-tailed Deer, these trees provide both food and shelter.

Another customer at the "Juniper Berry Cafeteria," a Yellow-shafted Flicker. — **Another customer at the “Juniper Berry Cafeteria,” a Yellow-shafted Flicker.**

The most obvious benefit I see on my hikes, is the berry, or the seed cone, of the Eastern Red Cedar. A berry the color of a blueberry, with a similar white bloom, it is a favorite in my bird world. Some of these pictures were taken right after a snow storm in January. The Cedar trees were alive with birds looking for dinner.

The berries bring a plethora of birds to the Cedar trees here on the mountain, including the Robin. Thought by many to be a sign of spring, the Robin is often here during the winter, checking out what berries are still around. They move in response to food supply and I guess my mountain usually has a good provision for them.

Do they have tastes similar to ours? — **American Robins, ready to empty the “Cafeteria” of its berries.**

Not only do animals in the wild use the Juniper Berry, but the berry is also used by humans, for culinary purposes and to flavor gin and beer. I think I’ll leave the berries that I see for the birds!

Come Walk With Me

Ice storm overnight. Beauty beyond words. Walk carefully with me and I will show you some of that beauty. Watch your step. It is very slick.

If this blog had a sound track, this is what it would look like. I don’t know what the music actually sounds like, but as I was working on capturing this glazed Sumac, I felt I was photographing music.

A common evergreen here on my mountain, this is Virginia Pine, Pinus virginiana, dressed in shimmering, silvery ice. A tree native to the Blue Ridge Mountains, that grows to a height of 60 feet.

Another evergreen, my first photo in this blog, is a Blue Spruce, Picea pungens. A tree of color well worth noting. This tree is a particularly nice example of that blue-gray-green. My living room was graced with the beauty of this tree at Christmas, and it has been planted just outside my studio windows to please me throughout the year.

The Blue Spruce is not native to the Blue Ridge Mountains where I am located, but is a tree native to the Rocky Mountains of the U.S. I expect my lovely Blue Spruce to reach a height of 50 feet. Growing the wild, it might reach a height of 75 feet.

The ice doesn’t quite know how to collect itself here on these cotton topped, seed heads of Anemone virginiana. I’ve enjoyed getting to know this native perennial through the years. It’s a tall (2 to 3 feet) plant in summer, with attractive pale green to white flowers that are 1.5 inches across. The pistils are grouped in a thimble shape, which is how the plant gets its name. The common name, Thimble Weed, is perhaps why I am fascinated with it, since I am a quilter and use a thimble quite often.

Seed eating birds really go for these seeds, when they are not covered in a layer of ice. This is Black-eyed Susan or Eastern Coneflower, Rudbeckia fulgida. This is an excellent example of how handy a scientific name is. There are many flowers with the common name, Black-eyed Susan. Knowing the scientific name eliminates all confusion.

More of the Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia fulgida, seed heads protected from the desires of Goldfinches, by ice.

A stunning flower during the summer, the Purple Coneflower, Echinachea purpurpea, is another native perennial that I depend on to draw the attention of Goldfinches when the seeds are present. This seed head has served its purpose, with all the seeds gone.

The last stop on our walk in the icy wonderland, this is a White Oak, Quercus alba, which keeps its leaves until the spring. It is a grand tree that can grow to be 100 feet tall and live for 200 to 300 years.

And now, I’m hoping for more ice or snow to create an art gallery of winter beauty on my mountain!

American Mistletoe

The leaves in the forest, for the most part, all have fallen, yet every now and then there is a tree that has an odd, large clump of leaves. At first glance it appears to be a squirrel’s nest. Upon further investigation, small, leathery, emerald green leaves are revealed. This is the stuff of many myths. American Mistletoe, Phoradendron leucarpum.

Druids of northern Europe hung sprigs of Mistletoe over their doorways to protect the occupants against lightning, thunder and evil spirits. The Druids also looked upon Mistletoe as a symbol of peace, something we might want to consider. The custom of kissing under the Mistletoe is also an ancient one, which began more than 2000 years ago. Some believed that a kiss under the mistletoe meant the lovers would marry. Others believed that if a young woman was not kissed under the Mistletoe, she would not marry in the following year.

In our modern times, researchers have discovered compounds in Mistletoe that may have value in helping with smooth muscle problems, hypertension, and cancer.

The Mistletoe plant is a hemi-parasite, meaning it that though it does rely on its host tree for water and minerals, it produces its own food through photosynthesis. Mistletoe grows on many different hardwood trees. Birds such as cedar waxwing, bluebird, and evening grosbeak eat the pearly white berries, and distribute the seeds, which are covered with a gluey substance. The seeds end up sticking to tree branches. Once stuck to the branch, roots will penetrate the tree’s bark and the hi-jacking of water and nutrients begins.

There are three species of butterfly that depend entirely upon the Mistletoe plant for their survival. The Great Purple Hairstreak feeds on the American Mistletoe that I have presented in this blog. The caterpillars of two other butterflies: the Thicket Hairstreak, and the Johnson’s Hairstreak feed on Dwarf Mistletoe, Arceuthobium.

Good luck if you find some Mistletoe and place it over a doorway, hoping for a kiss!

A word of caution though, the plant should be kept out of reach of children and pets, since it is poisonous.

Diamonds Of Ice!

Redosier Dogwood, Cornus sericea, berry stems — **Redosier Dogwood**, *Cornus sericea*, berry stems, on main stem of deep red.

As I snuggled in my bed last night, I was prepared for nothing special in the weather this morning. Yesterday‘s forecast had been for snow, sleet and freezing rain.

Flowering Dogwood, Cornus florida — **Flowering Dogwood**, *Cornus florida*, in bud, patiently waiting for spring, in soft green and muted red.

Mother Nature skipped the snow part, and went straight to sleet, and it kept going, all day long. The temperature remained steady at 27 degrees during the whole day, but as bedtime drew nigh, it began to rise quickly and by the time I went to bed it was 32 degrees with no signs of leveling off. So my thoughts of a beautiful morning were of a beautiful rainy, wet morning.

Blue Spruce, Picea pungens, and this year's Christmas tree — **Blue Spruce**, *Picea pungens*, and this year’s Christmas tree, in lovely pale blue-green.

The little girl within me was more than delighted this morning as daylight revealed a thick coating of ice over everything!

Winterberry, and one of my goals accomplished with a wintery photo of this beautiful shrub! — **Winterberry**, and one of my goals accomplished, with a wintery photo of this beautiful shrub. Complete with scarlet berries and white diamond ice!

I very quickly put breakfast on the table for the family, gobbled mine down, and went out into the wonderland of diamonds and ice.

The very sharp end to a Yucca leaf, complete with ice — The very sharp end to a bluish green **Yucca** leaf, edged in golden yellow, complete with ice.

Thank goodness I have trekking poles! The ice was thick and not forgiving for a false move, and to further complicate things, I’m on the side of a mountain! Every surface is on a slant. With the poles though, I didn’t take a spill.

Virginia Pine, Pinus virginiana — **Virginia Pine**, *Pinus virginiana, like green flowers.*

When I left the cabin, the temperature was 32 degrees and it was very cloudy.

Grape Vine Tendrils — **Grape** Vine Tendrils. showing a bronzy glow.

There was no dripping. Everything in a frozen, fairlyland.

Blueberry Bushes, with their buds all set for spring — **Blueberry Bushes,** with a blush of Christmas red, with their buds all set for spring.

As I returned to my cabin, the sun was just beginning to break through the clouds, and like magic, it seemed to begin raining. Of course it wasn’t rain, but melting ice, dripping down on me.

Seed Head of Queen Anne's Lace — A tan Seed Head of **Queen Anne’s Lace.**

Now this afternoon most of the diamonds and ice are gone from the trees and bushes.

Smooth Sumac, Rhus glabra — Crimson, **Smooth Sumac** Berries, *Rhus glabra.*

But no worries! There is snow in tomorrow’s forecast!

Like A Pinecone Dipped In Molten Glass — Like A Maroon **Pinecone** Dipped In Molten Glass.

How cool is that?

Seed Head Of Echinachea purpurea — A Toast-brown Seed Head Of **Echinachea purpurea.**

Stay tuned! I may be in my element tomorrow again, wandering with my hiking companions, my two cameras, taking snow pictures!

Seed Head Of Tall Anemone, Anemone virginiana — Soft Butter-yellow and Toast-Brown Seed Head Of **Tall Anemone**, *Anemone virginiana.*

A Whole New World

Life At A Different Level

I was greeted by a whole new world yesterday, as I hiked up the mountain. I’d been down in Florida and not able to check on things up here for more than a week. When I left, autumn was on the downswing. Now, I am greeted by what looks like a winter landscape. Just browns, blacks, whites, grays and a stray bit of evergreen. This is good! I love to have the seasons change around me, welcoming each one as it approaches.

Bark! Bark!

As winter creeps into our area, it’s time for me to change my focus. From butterflies and insects, to bark and buds.

Hey Bud!

These are the buds of Spicebush, Lindera benzoin. They are out there in the forest, right now, just waiting for spring, to burst into a soft wash of lemon yellow.

Not Chinese Chestnut

The bark of Spicebush puts me in mind of the young branches of Chinese Chestnut, Castanea mollissima, a tree that is often confused with American Chestnut, Castenea dentata. The Chinese Chestnut has lenticels (breathing pores on the bark of trees) that are pronounced and feel like course salt on a pretzel. I think this bark looks like a salted pretzel, like the Chinese Chestnut. This is the bark of Spicebush.

Another Shade Of Gray

Another small tree bark that I am working to get to know is Witch Hazel, Hamamelis virginiana. Both Witch Hazel and Spicebush are small trees or large shrubs that grow in look-alike groupings. I can count on the bark of each, to let me know which I am looking at, during the winter when there are few other clues. Witch Hazel (above) also has visible lenticels, but they are elongated, fewer, and the bark in general has a rosey-gray appearance, while the coloring of the Spicebush bark is more a green-gray.

Subtle Coloring

I look forward to a season of gentle coloring. Almost monotone, like a black and white pen sketch, beautiful in its simplicity.

A Day Of Chestnut Trees And Berries

Yes! American Chestnut Trees!

I was pleased this morning to be able to tell a dear friend that the trees he thought might be American Chestnuts, Castanea dentata, were indeed, the not often found species. Yay! This is good. I had mixed feelings though, because at the same time, I had to tell him that his trees would definitely succumb to chestnut blight. That is of course unless some crazed, chain saw wielding person comes along and cuts the trees down.

Ocean Waves

The first thing I looked for on my friend’s trees – the classic ocean wave of the leaf edge. The leaf in the photo above is one that I pressed to save, since it has the perfect example of the American Chestnut leaf edge. This morning the leaf edges were a bit hard to see since it is so late in the season, and the leaves were curled and dry, but I was encouraged by the edges I could see. Also the shape of the leaf is like a canoe – quite pointed at both ends. And an American Chestnut leaf is generally 5 to 9 inches long.

Lenticels

Another thing I took into consideration was the bark of the trees. American Chestnuts have easily visible lenticels, or breathing pores, that look like fine salt on a pretzel. These trees did have these lenticels. Chinese Chestnuts also have these lenticels, but they look like large salt grains. My friends trees had an appearance of fine salt grains.

Tootsie Rolls Anyone?

Another sign of an American Chestnut is the color of the twigs, a rich Tootsie Roll brown, along with those lenticels. Again the trees passed the test. Last but not least, I took into consideration the environment that the trees are living in – forested land with no clearing. American Chestnuts are shade tolerant trees, surviving in shade, just waiting for an opportunity to capture sunshine and shoot up to their tallest potential. Chinese Chestnuts are not shade tolerant. Good news, Buddy! I feel you’ve got several American Chestnut trees. Keep your fingers crossed, and if you are very lucky, they may grow to be sizable trees!

One Ridge North

As I was checking out Buddy’s trees, I was taking in the beauty of his property, one mountain ridge north of mine. He’s a landscape architect and his property reflects what a person in this profession would have, if he was guided by Mother Nature. He lives in the woods, surrounded by native plants. I was struck by one native in particular. One that I blogged about yesterday: Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana. The photo above is his native species. See how the berries cluster on the stem, like poufs on a French poodle?

Mine – Not A Native

While Buddy has the native, I get the booby prize, with my Purple Beautyberry, Callicarpa dichotoma, (above) which is not a native to North American, but of the Far East!

Red Maple Common Beauty

Ubiquitous

This fall, as I hike the steep and not so steep slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains, I see many, many Red Maples. Reading various websites and books to get information on the tree, I am not surprised to learn that this is the most common deciduous tree in eastern North America. Yes, it is everywhere. Red Maples do well, for the most part, no matter what conditions they are asked to deal with. They will live in swamps and can easily be found on dry ridges. Soil type is not something that the tree quibbles about either.

Early Bloomer

Red Maple is the earliest flower you’ll see here in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Even beating out the first of the Bloodroot.

Deep, Rich Red In The Snow

They bloom so early that often you will find their wine colored flowers covered in snow.

Leafless

Before the leaves appear, the flowers of the Red Maple turn to samaras, or as I called them as a child, helicopters. The seeds that will sprout new trees. Notice, that like the flowers of this tree, the samaras are also reflecting the name of this maple, Red.

Still More Red

Soon after the samaras show up on the branches of the Red Maples, leaves start to emerge, and being true to its name the emerging leaves are red.

Not True

Of course not all the young Red Maple leaves are a true red, but are subtle shades of red.

Silvery

The bark of young Red Maple trees is a distinctive, smooth silver gray.

Charcoal

As the tree ages the bark develops cracks and becomes a darker, charcoal gray.

Autumn

As the seasons roll on, Red Maples are an independent sort and don’t rely on their name for the color that their leaves turn in the fall. You will find Red Maple leaves in pumpkin oranges, lemon yellows, crimson reds and every color and shade in between. This fall the Red Maples have been beautiful and have provided me with loads of joy, and much new knowledge. I hope your autumn is unfolding before you in a totally pleasing way!

Swirls Of Color, Yellow to Red, All Red Maple

Brown Leaves All Winter

A Miniature American Chestnut?

While hiking in Shenandoah National Park last weekend, I became baffled by a couple small trees that caught my eye. I was baffled because they looked very much like an American Chestnut tree, just scaled down to a child-size. The scallop of the leaf edges intrigued me, being so reminiscent of the chestnut tree that I am so familiar with.

American Beech, Fagus grandifolia, With Its Edge Of Pointed Teeth — **American Beech, *Fagus grandifolia*, With Its Edge Of Pointed Teeth**

Ocean Waves and Pointed Teeth

The American Chestnut’s leaf is characterized by an ocean wave edge. Here you can see the edge of the American Beech, with its leaf edge of sharp pointed teeth. Sometimes the American Chestnut ocean wave edge looks much the same, the waves are just not breaking.

American Chestnut, Castanea dentata, With Its Ocean Wave Edge Leaf — **American Chestnut, *Castanea dentata*, With Its Ocean Wave Edge Leaf**

Funny Thing About That

Going to my library of books on trees, I discovered that chestnut trees are in the beech family. No wonder they look similar!

Smooth Bark

The American Beech has a silvery gray bark that is smooth, which it retains even into old age.

A Tree That Does Not Drop Its Leaves

This autumn, as other trees are dropping their leaves, the American Beech will hold onto its leaves through the winter and will only drop them as the winter turns to spring. These small trees with brown leaves in the dead of winter, in the understory of the forest, have fascinated me for years. Only now do I know what they are!

Witch Hazel – Peak

Floral Display

Not much is blooming now. About the only thing left putting on a show is the last of the late summer asters, with their lovely, soft lavender, diminutive petals. Tiny petals adding a comforting accent to the brilliant fall colors.

Lemon Zest

The last floral display of the year is the one I’ve been waiting for since spring. This is the opening of the Witch Hazel flowers! The flowers are a soft yellow. Four strappy petals to each flower. Petals like lemon zest. Not demanding attention but instead quietly announcing the middle of autumn and for me a warning of, “Winter is just around the corner!” A warning that I delight in!

Seed Pod

After the Witch Hazel flower is pollinated by a moth, during the following many months the flower will become a seed pod, sueded, buff colored, waiting for the floral display of the next autumn. It is in autumn that these seed pods eject their two shiny black seeds, sending them some 10 to 20 feet away. These seeds will take another whole year to germinate.

Understory

The Witch Hazel is a small tree or shrub growing in a multi-stemmed clump, reaching for the sky, but being deep in the forest, does not find the sky and the branches arch again toward the ground, creating a wide cluster of stems. The tree at best reaches about 12 to 15 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide.

Green Of Summer

The leaves of the Witch Hazel have wavy edges with the upper side having a dark emerald color and the under side having a lighter green color.

What Is In A Name

I have seen several thoughts on how the Witch Hazel got its name. One has to do with the leaf gall one often sees on the leaves of the tree. These galls are caused by the Witch Hazel Leaf Gall Aphid and do indeed look a bit like a witch’s hat! Another story links the timing of the flowering of the tree with Halloween. And still another story is of a historical nature. The branches of the Witch Hazel have been used by Native Americans and in turn by European settlers as divining rods to help them find underground sources for water. The word “wych” is an Anglo-Saxon word for “bend” which is what the branch was said to do when water was detected.

And Now

If the Witch Hazel flowers are indeed saying, “Winter is just around the corner!” I say, “Bring it on!!”

The Museum Of Autumnal Color

The Flatlands

Over the weekend I was down in the flatlands. The truely flat lands of Maryland and Delaware, way out on the coast. The flatlands where there is not much going on tree-wise, autumn-wise. Just occasional farm stands filled with lovely orange pumpkins and garden mums. That’s autumn for the flatlands. While away, I missed the screaming-school-bus yellow of the Hickories, and the reds, and golds and lime greens of autumn in the mountains.

Raring To Go

This morning I was chomping at the bit, all set to get my fill of autumn in the mountains again. But wait! There’s a seldom spotted critter at the bird bath. A critter that reminds me of the New Mexico state bird, the Road Runner. A Brown Thrasher,Toxostoma rufum, was splish, splashing in my bird bath. Stop everything! I’ve got to get a picture of him! Fortunately he was slow enough, that I could put the camera onto the lens that is mounted on the tripod. I got him splishing and splashing, but not so much in focus. When he came out to preen and dry, I was able to get him, almost crisp and sharp. Mission accomplished. Now on to gathering up that camera and another one for the trek.

Blue Skies

I was lucky today. The brilliant blue skies, perfectly accented the rusty browns of the White Oaks as I climbed higher and higher, up the mountain.

Backdrop

The azure skies provided the perfect background for the scarlet of the Red Maples. A background that made the reds just pop! And see that wisp of a cloud? That is all there was up there in the glorious blue – just a wisp.

A Family Favorite

There’s one tree up here that I think I can safely say is a family favorite. It’s the Black Gum, which has red leaves that really beat the band. The leaves have a slight gloss to them that just adds to the appeal.

A Slow One

One of the slower trees to change into their autumn garb, the Sugar Maple is one that I love to watch for. A winner up in Vermont. I am lucky to have some here in the Blue Ridge Mountains as well.

My Happiness Tree

The one tree that provides me with more happiness than any, here on my mountain, is the American Chestnut. Their leaf, so beautiful with its ocean wave edge, turning yellow-green, then yellow, then on to a warm soft brown. I see these trees and know that I am home, where there is so much color, everywhere, I look I feel as if I am walking through a museum of autumnal color!