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Understory shrubs, trees such as the dogwood provide alternate view on a walk in the woods
By Jim Chatfield
Special to the Beacon Journal
Published on Saturday, May 10, 2008
The other day, as I walked through Johnson Woods Nature Preserve near Orrville with my cohort Gary Graham, a maple expert, we discussed a new set of programs we plan to put together: The Story Beneath the Trees. Our idea is to teach plant lovers one of the hot horticultural trends, understory trees and shrubs, from spicebush to dogwoods. Of course, at Johnson Woods you also cannot miss the wonderful wildflowers that hold court prior to the shade of tree canopies muting their moments in the sun.
This ''cannot see the small trees, shrubs and flowers for the forest'' theme plays out in other ways, of course. We tend to notice the big picture in the woods, but sometimes it is the nuanced perspectives that truly shine. I saw that this year with regard to newly emerging leaves and flowers, especially when I looked upward. It might seem obvious that we should look up rather than just down at wildflowers and in front and to our sides as we hike, but I found that I often do not, and lose a lot by not looking skyward.
The beautiful pattern of white and pink dogwood blossoms against blue sky, the vein-etched leaves of oaks, outlined through sunlight, the unfurling of new maple leaves — it is all quite spectacular. This weekend, look not only for the stories beneath the trees but also the many different perspectives revealing themselves skyward and in small details on landscape and forest plants. And now a few of your recent plant-lover questions.
Q: What is the juicy orange substance on the twigs of my juniper?
A: These are the spore masses of the cedar quince fungus. It looks a bit like concentrated orange juice, but these spores will spread to apples and quinces, though mostly hawthorns, where the fungus will infect the ''haw'' fruits, resulting in orange-ish protrusions on the fruits by mid-summer. Typically this is not a big problem for homeowners
Q: How is the increase in fuel costs affecting farmers?
A: Obviously in many ways, from fertilizer to shipping costs, but here is one interesting perspective of just one cost, provided by information from Gene McCluer of OSU Extension in Hardin County and from data from the University of Nebraska. At a cost of $3.86 per gallon of diesel fuel and assuming a 200 horsepower tractor using 8.8 gallons of fuel per hour, just the fuel cost for that tractor is $33.97 per hour, $13.97 more than in 2007.
Q: Why are there so many yellow holly leaves on the ground.
A: There can be a number of causes, but the most common one is a ''good news'' story. Unlike pines and most narrow-leaved evergreens that lose older leaves (needles) in autumn, hollies lose about a third of their older leaves each spring. American hollies are evergreen in that they hold green leaves year-round, but they lose a portion of their broad-leaves, shiny green pointy older leaves each spring. They yellow and drop, yet all is well.
Q: There is moss on sunny areas of my lawn, but I thought moss occurred only in shady spots. What is up?
A: There are a number of different mosses that occur in different environments in lawns. Most in shade, some in sun. Usually in acid soils, but sometimes in more alkaline sites. The key is that moss will often grow in lawns where conditions are not good for turfgrass growth. So, if you want to keep moss out, keep that turf healthy with good seeding, mowing, weed control and fertilization programs.
Q: The leaves on my cherry trees are developing weird red spindles. Is this a problem?
A: These reddish-pink spindles all over emerging leaves are induced in the cherry plant by a tiny carrot-shaped eriophyid mite. These mites are so tiny that you will not see them with the naked eye, but what they are doing is causing the cherry plant to grow a home for their eggs and hatched baby mites. No real harm to the tree. Cherry trees plus eriophyid mites — just for we Almanac plant lovers, let's just call them — cheriophyid mites.
Jim Chatfield is a horticultural educator with Ohio State University Extension. If you have questions about caring for your garden, write: Plant Lovers' Almanac, Akron Beacon Journal, P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309-0640. Include your phone number.
The other day, as I walked through Johnson Woods Nature Preserve near Orrville with my cohort Gary Graham, a maple expert, we discussed a new set of programs we plan to put together: The Story Beneath the Trees. Our idea is to teach plant lovers one of the hot horticultural trends, understory trees and shrubs, from spicebush to dogwoods. Of course, at Johnson Woods you also cannot miss the wonderful wildflowers that hold court prior to the shade of tree canopies muting their moments in the sun.
Get the full article here.
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