HORT SHORTS
Sounds simple, doesn't it? Yet trees have multiple names. Why so many? Here is an example from Ohio State University's Secrest Arboretum at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster. Our example is a familiar species, with the common name of redbud.
The clean (no Guignardia leaf blotch) palm-like leaves and horizontal form of bottlebrush buckeye; the frilly hairs on the pedicels of kolkwitzia flowers; the glossy blaze of new growth on 'Wildfire' sourgum, Little WoodyTM and Lucious LavenderTM redbuds and their shiny new growth; and the promise of grafting standard rhododendrons onto rootstocks more tolerant of higher pH.
Picture a moon filled night, a silhouette of a tree with branches stretching out across the sky, and an owl perched on one of the lower branches calling out, who, "who, whoooo." When we are young and learning all of the unique sounds different animals make, we learn that cats meow, that dogs bark, birds chirp…and owls, well owls always 'whoot', right? Wrong. In fact, many of the most recognized owl calls in Ohio are not the 'whooos' that we all learned about growing up. The GREAT HORNED OWL is perhaps the only species of owl in Ohio that frequently whoots.
Back in mid-May, Marne Titchenell participated in monitoring several vernal pools in east central Ohio, which is prime time for catching salamander larvae. In addition to several larvae of unidentified mole salamanders (identification at this stage in the life cycle requires a microscope – not something handy while standing in a 3' deep pool), she reported catching a male and female RED-SPOTTED NEWT, also known as the eastern newt.
Several BYGLers reported coming across a bizarre collection of newly topped trees during recent trips through southern Ohio; they noted the scene would make a tree-lover cry! The trees weren't topped to avoid tangling with utility lines.
Dog vomit slime mold (Fuligo septica) is a common problem this time of year. After gardeners put down a fresh layer of mulch they often see this aptly named growth showing up a few weeks later.
Curtis Young reported that lawn areas are being littered with leaves and branches as the result of squirrel activities. At this time of the year, tree squirrels are constructing summer leaf nests. In the process of constructing these nests, the squirrels are not completely successful at holding onto the branches that they are clipping out of the trees. As a result, short branch sections are piling up on the ground under the construction sites. One can identify these branches as belonging to the butter-fingered squirrels by the beveled cut on the end of the branch. Fortunately once the
During most years, apple trees set more fruits than the limbs can support. Fruit load will potentially be heavier this year since the apple crop was very light last year. Fruit size and quality will suffer when trees are overloaded with fruits.
This past weekend concluded the Biggest Week in American Birding. However, just because the biggest week is over, doesn't mean the time to go birding is over.
Landscapes, urban treescapes and woodland plants continue to amaze, from the snowy white bell-like flowers of Halesia to new magnolia flowers and developing fruits, to sedges lit by the sun in ponds and honeylocust trees reflected in windows of urban high-rises in Manhattan, from Michael Dirr's "lurid purple" pawpaw flowers to the birch barked, joyous dryads of the forest - now is the time to experience the wonders of the growing world around us.
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