Cauliflory

April 6, 2026

Cauliflory, a word which refers to trees that bloom and produce fruit from their trunks. Of course it’s the opposite of what is normally seen, blooms and fruit growing on new growth. It’s a happening that is rare in temperate climates but common in tropical forests.

It surprises me to find that there are three cauliflorous species of trees that grow right here in my woods, Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida), Pawpaw (Asimina triloba), and in the picture above – Redbud (Cercis canadensis).

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Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.