Tamarack

Posted on August 5, 2017 by tspuckler

This tree often goes by the alternative common name American Larch. It is the only deciduous conifer that is native to Ohio, and it strongly prefers moist to wet sites in acidic soils.

Tamarack’s green needles turn a showy yellow in Fall before dropping to the ground as Winter approaches. This is a medium to large sized tree that usually grows to 40-60 feet tall with an open pyramidal shape and horizontal branching.

Its slender green needles grow in brush-like clusters which appear at the ends of short spur-like shoots spaced along the branches.

Tamarack produces tiny rounded cones up to 1 inch, that start off red and eventually mature to brown. The bark on mature trees is a scaly, reddish-brown.

Tamaracks are very cold tolerant and able to survive temperatures down to at least -65 °C (-85 °F). They commonly occur at the Arctic treeline at the edge of the tundra. It is one of the northernmost occurring trees in North America, as well as the world.

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Norway Spruce

Posted on December 24, 2016 by tspuckler

The dark green needles and drooping or “weeping” branches of this tree are two of its key identification features.

Norway Spruce is perhaps the most common spruce in Ohio, though it is not native; it was introduced from Europe and Asia 150-200 years ago.

This conifer is often used for windbreaks due to it being the fastest growing as well as the tallest (115–180 feet) spruce in the state. It also produces the largest cone (4-7 inches long) of all spruces.

With age, the pendulous, dense branchlets in the upper canopy of mature trees hang straight down for several feet, and are called skirts.

This tree’s bark exudes a substance is known as “Burgundy Pitch,” which is the basic material for a number of varnishes and medicinal materials.

In addition to all of the above qualities, Norway Spruce is the main Christmas Tree in several cities around the world.

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Bald Cypress

Posted on November 5, 2016 by tspuckler

This is a classic tree of southern swamps. It resides in flooded areas because it out-competes with most other trees in this habutat. It is a is a deciduous conifer, so while a member of the Pine Tree Family, it looses its needles in the Winter months, hence the name “bald.”

Bald Cypress trees growing in swamps have a peculiarity called “knees.” These are woody projections from the root system that go above the ground or water. Their function was once thought to be to provide oxygen to the roots, but a more likely purpose is for structural support and stability.

These are slow-growing, long-lived trees that regularly reach up to 600 years in age. Since they tend to grow along rivers and in wetlands, they are excellent at soaking up floodwaters and preventing erosion. They also trap pollutants and prevent them from spreading. The trunk base is swollen when the tree grows in water.

They have globose cones which turn from green to brownish-purple as they mature from October to December. The cones are measure 1/2 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter and have scales that break away after maturity. Each scale can bear two triangular seeds.

Though I see them when visiting marshy, boggy places, like Heron Pond in southern Illinois, in yards in my home state of Ohio Bald Cypress is a popular ornamental tree, grown for its light, feathery foliage and orange-brown to dull red fall color. It thrives on a wide range of soils, including well-drained sites where it would not grow naturally due to the inability of the young seedlings to compete with other vegetation.

I enjoy seeing this classic swampland inhabitants on my travels. Snakes, turtles, birds and other animals rely on Bald Cypress swamps for habitat, while bees, wood ducks and owls nest in its hollow trunks.

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Ohio Buckeye

Posted on August 20, 2016 by tspuckler

This tree typically occurs in rich or rocky wooded areas of valleys, ravines, bluff bases, slopes and thicket. It is a low-branched, small to medium-sized deciduous tree that typically grows 20 to 40 feet.

The leaves have a shape similar to that of a hand with the fingers extended; they have leaflets, 3 to 6 inches long and broad. Ohio Buckeyes tend to change color early – their Fall color is usually yellow, although their foliage may develop interesting and attractive shades of orange and red.

The Ohio Buckeye’s fruit is a globular capsule consisting of 1-2 buckeyes encased by a leathery light brown partitioned husk covered with warty spines.

When ripe, each buckeye turns a handsome shiny dark mahogany brown with a light tan eye. Since colonial times, buckeyes have been carried by many school children and adults as good luck charms.

The Ohio Buckeye is the state tree of Ohio, and its name is an original term of endearment for the pioneers on the Ohio frontier, who traversed the wilderness in the spring of 1788, and began the settlement of Ohio.

Buckeye candy, made to resemble the tree’s nut, is made by dipping a ball of peanut butter fudge in milk chocolate, leaving a circle of the peanut butter exposed. These are a popular treat in Ohio, especially during the Christmas and college football seasons.

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Southern Live Oak

Posted on April 3, 2016 by tspuckler

These trees have the characteristic of evergreen foliage; they remain green and “live” throughout winter, when other oaks are dormant and leafless. Southern Live Oaks are confined to warm parts of the country, because of their inability to survive freezing temperatures.

I enjoyed seeing this tree on my visit to South Carolina last month. To me they are an iconic part of the southeast states. Although live oaks retain their leaves nearly year-round, they are not true evergreens, since they drop their leaves immediately before new leaves emerge in the spring.

The bark is dark, thick, and furrowed longitudinally. The leaves are stiff and leathery, with the tops shiny dark green and the bottoms pale gray. The moss that frequently hangs from the tree branches it often used by birds to construct nests.

Its small (1/2 to 1 inch) acorns are oblong in shape, shiny and tan-brown to nearly black and are often black at the tips. They are eaten by birds and mammals, including sapsuckers, mallards, wild turkey, squirrels, black bears and deer.

Southern Live Oaks tend to survive fire, because often a fire will not reach their crowns. Even if a tree is burned, its crowns and roots usually survive the fire and sprout vigorously afterwards.

These are majestic trees that are emblems of the South. When given enough room to grow, their sweeping limbs plunge toward the ground before shooting upward, creating an impressive array of branches.

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Virginia Pine

Posted on January 3, 2016 by tspuckler

Virginia Pine are small to medium-sized pine trees, growing up to 60 feet. They have long, spreading branches and reddish brown bark.

Their pine cones are small and oval-shaped, up to two-and-a-half inches long; small seeds come from the cones. Their short yellow-green needles are paired and are often twisted.

I have these trees growing in my front and back yard – they don’t fare well in forests, because thay have shallow roots and must have plenty of sun to survive. They eventually get pushed out by larger trees. Because of this, Virginia Pines are good pioneer plants, meaning they are some of the first trees to take over a field.

Virginia Pine seeds are consumed by many birds and small mammals. These animals help spread the seeds by carrying them to new places. These trees are a favorite of woodpeckers, because of the soft wood in older trees.

Another enjoyable aspect of this tree is its easy-to-remember scientific name – Pinus virginiana.

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Black Cherry

Posted on October 25, 2015 by tspuckler

This is the largest of the native cherries and the only one of commercial value, it is found throughout the Eastern United States – including my backyard. Black Cherry is an aromatic tree; its crushed foliage and bark have distinctive cherry-like odor and bitter taste, owing to the same cyanide-forming toxic compounds found in the wood and leaves.

Its valuable wood is used particularly for furniture, paneling, professional and scientific instruments, handles and toys. The sweet-smelling inner bark of the Black Cherry Tree is used to make black cherry syrup, often an ingredient in commercial cough medicines.

This was one of the first New World trees introduced into English gardens, it was recorded as early as 1629 in Europe. Black Cherry is valued for its ornamental features, specifically its cherry blossoms. The tart fruit of the black cherry tree is an important source of nutrition for many animals and the leaves are eaten by several species of caterpillars.

The bark of young trees is smooth and reddish-brown, maturing to an interesting scaly texture.

It’s hard to imagine a tree that has more to offer than Black Cherry!

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Eastern Hemlock

Posted on January 10, 2015 by tspuckler

Ohio’s only native hemlock can be differentiated from other Buckeye State conifers by its flattened needles, featuring 2 white lines beneath them.

This tree grows best in cool, moist locations such as the north-facing slopes of deep ravines. The photos in this blog post were taken near Chippewa Creek in Brecksville Reservation.

Its cones are very small (from ½ to ¾ of an inch long), and appear pale green in the early autumn and turn a darker brown in late autumn. The cones hang singly from the tips of twigs and have 2 small seeds underneath their rounded scales.

The Eastern Hemlock has a range that covers most of the eastern United States and extends into Canada and to the west. This is a slow-growing, long-lived tree, which unlike many conifers grows well in shade. Eastern Hemlocks can take 250 to 300 years to reach maturity and may live for 800 years or more.

Its size varies tremendously, based upon local growing conditions, but in general Eastern Hemlock slowly reaches 70 feet in height by 35 feet in spread in favorable sites. Specimens can achieve twice that size under optimum conditions.

“Back in the day” its bark was much in demand for its tannic acid, which was used for tanning leather. Lumber production from eastern hemlock reached its peak between 1890 and 1910 but is seldom harvested for solid wood products now. Several birds and mammals feed on its seeds.

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Hawthorn

Posted on September 5, 2014 by tspuckler

Hawthorns comprise the single largest group of trees and large shrubs that inhabit the woods and fields of Ohio, about 60 species.

They are known primarily for their white Spring flowers and Autumn fruits, which can be yellow, orange, or red in color. Here are some flowers from back in May.

Hawthorns have a sturdy yet enchanting presence that exudes a mighty strength for such a relatively small, twiggy, thorny tree.

These trees tend to colonize pastures, where their thorns prevent animals from grazing on them. Heights range from 10 to 25 feet, and widths about 15 to 30 feet.

Hawthorn berries have been used to treat heart disease as far back as the 1st century. The extract from this tree’s leaves and berries are still used today to treat diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

These trees are so named by a combination of an alternative name for its fruits (haws) and the plentiful thorns found singly on its twigs.

The wild berries are consumed by birds and other wildlife. People eat the berries as well – and they are made into jellies, jams, pies and tarts.

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Rosebay Rhododendron

Posted on July 3, 2014 by tspuckler

This “woody plant” is an evergreen, with a short, crooked trunk and branches. It grows in woods, often in dense shade, so when in bloom its flowers really stand out.

The rhododendron’s always-green, thick, leathery leaves set it apart from any other plant native to Ohio.

In late June and into early July, the flower buds open to reveal giant clusters of white blossoms edged with pink.

Though common in the Great Smoky Mountains and the state flower of West Virginia, in Ohio it is rather rare and occurs in localized, scattered populations growing naturally in the wilderness.

The popularity of rhododendrons for use in landscaping has made them and easy to attain at nurseries. This 8-12 foot shrub and its relatives grace the yards of many who appreciate its many attributes.

And they also contribute their elegance to Brecksville Reservation, where I saw and photographed these examples of this fine plant.

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Category Archives: Trees

Tamarack

Norway Spruce

Bald Cypress

Ohio Buckeye

Southern Live Oak

Virginia Pine

Black Cherry

Eastern Hemlock

Hawthorn

Rosebay Rhododendron