Sunday, December 31, 2006

Water Caught by Eastern Red Cedar

Click on this photo to see a larger version.


It is interesting to see water held in trees after a rain. There are creeks where I live that overflow their banks because of housing development. Years ago, when the land was covered by forest, the creek carried much less water.

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Deer Sign



Here is a sappling with the bark rubbed off. My guess is by deer.

Friday, December 29, 2006

Lichen


I took this photo of a lichen on tree bark. I think its lichen. I am not sure on ID.
The lichen is about 1" long. Blown up.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Chambered Pith of a Black Walnut


Here is a chambered pith of a Black Walnut twig.

The Pith is the very center of the twig. The pith stores food and the rey from the pith conducts water, minerals and food radially.


Black walnut bud.

Monday, December 25, 2006

American Sycamore

Here is a photo showing how the fruit balls stay on in the winter. Click on the photo for a larger view.



Here is a close up of the Am. Sycamore tree bark.



These trees rot fast after a branch dies. Notice the center of this tree has a cavity where a branch had died. So these trees provide good habitat for wildlife.

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Eastern Red Ceader, Saplings

Eastern Red Cedar as young saplings.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Monday, December 11, 2006

Osage Orange Update

Here is an update of the Osage orange tree in December.



The photos below were taken October 30th.

Multi stemed Osage orange

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Northern Red Oak Contrasted with Chinquapin Oak



Chinquapin oak has lighter bark than Northern red oak


The acorn cap on the left is the N red oak and the Chinquapin acorn cap is on the right.























The bole on the left is the Nothern Red oak and the one on the right is the Chinquapin oak.

Black Locust Thorns

Friday, December 08, 2006

Lombardy poplar




I came across a Lonbardy poplar Populus nigra var. italica Here are 3 photos.

This tree can be IDed by the acending crown and the bulging sides of the leaves. Also the buds are not flat against the twig. The tree is used for wind breaks.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Black Walnut



Here is the bark of Black walnut. Notice the bark forms a dimond pattern.

The buds are fuzzy.

Snow in the Woods



I have to snowplow so it is hard to get good photos after a snow. Here are a couple. I was amazed that the trail I walked on had no footprints on it. Only dogs deer turkey and rabbits.

The photo of the large tree is a Chinkapin oak at a park off of Blue Ridge Blvd. The photo of the hillside (taken 6 days after the snow storm) still had snow on it from the Thursday storm. That hillside faced north. The hillside on the north side of the creek would face south and would get more direct sun had no snow.

As always you can click the photo for an enlargement.