The Golden Dewdrops - Duranta erecta, are most easily identified by their brilliant sky blue colored flowers and bright yellow fruit. They originated in the West Indies but have been naturalized from South Florida to East/Central Texas. In the United States they are found primarily on disturbed sites, pine lands, and hammocks from 0-100 m. An evergreen shrub, occasional vine or rarely a small tree they reach heights of only 20 feet.
Meet A Tree
Have you ever wondered about the trees around you? What are their names? What makes them each unique? What resources do they provide? How do they benefit our lives? Arundel Tree Service's Meet A Tree blog was created to help you "Meet A Tree", learn about how every tree is as unique and individual as you and I!
Monday, November 4, 2024
Golden Dewdrops - Duranta erecta
Friday, November 1, 2024
Sparkleberry - Vaccinium arboreum
The Sparkleberry - Vaccinium arboreum, is best recognized by the combination of reddish bark, bell shaped flowers and lustrous green leaves with a tiny point on the tip. It is an evergreen in most locations or late deciduous in colder climates. It grows in an upright fashion small bush or tree form. It is native to North America, dry sandy woodlands, thickets and clearings. It is widespread on the East Coast of North America, found from Ontario in the North and Florida in the South, West through Kansas and Eastern Texas.
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Sawtooth Oak - Quercus acutissima
The Sawtooth Oak - Quercus acutissima is most easily recognized by it's fringed acorn cup and narrow leave with bristle tipped teeth, resembling the teeth of a saw. It is a fast growing, deciduous shade tree that can reach heights of 30- 70 feet tall. Sawtooth Oak grows in an erect fashion with a single trunk and dense rounded crown. Originally introduced from Asia, generally found in planned landscapes and is reported to be naturalized in scattered areas from Pennsylvania South to North Carolina and Georgia, South to Louisiana. Sawtooth Oak is primarily planted for wildlife cover and food due to it's abundant fruit and fast growth habit. This species is sometimes used for urban and highway beautification as it is tolerant of soil compaction, air pollution, and drought.
American Basswood - Tilia americana
The American Basswood - Tilia americana, is most easily recognized by the combination of alternate, two ranked, and heart shaped leaves that are asymmetric at the base and the leafy bract subtending the flowers and fruit. It is a deciduous tree that reaches heights of 60-100 feet tall that grows in an erect form with a single trunk. The crown of the American Basswood is ovoid or rounded with numerous slender branches.
Image Citation: Wendy VanDyk Evans, Bugwood.org
Friday, October 18, 2024
Glossy Buckthorn - Frangula alnus
The Glossy Buckthorn - Frangula alnus is a deciduous small tree or shrub that reaches heights of 20-25 feet. Generally growing with multiple erect trunks in a shrubby form, with a stout crown. Originally introduced from Europe about 200 years ago, Glossy Buckthorn has become established in weedy bogs, and other wetland areas. Found as far North as Saskatchewan and Quebec South to West Virginia and Tennessee and West to Idaho and Colorado. The Glossy Buckthorn is considered to be invasive in many areas and is treated as an invasive species in most Mid-Western wetland areas.
Monday, October 14, 2024
Cryptomeria - Cryptomeria japonica
The Cryptomeria - Cryptomeria japonica is a monoecious ornamental evergreen tree that can reach heights upwards of 65-70 feet. Growing in a slender, upright pyramidal fashion, it has unique short, sharp in-curved needles that are unique to this species and only the rare Taiwania (a similar species). The needle-like leaves are 3-12 mm long and spirally arranged. The bark is reddish brown to dark gray, fibrous and often peels off in strips. The cones are brown, slightly rounded with an apical point and are borne at the tips of the twigs in groups of 1-6. The branching habit of this species is considered to be irregular and does not occur in a uniform fashion.
Sunday, October 6, 2024
Sassafras - Sassafras albidum
The Sassafras - Sassafras albidum is a member of the Laurel family. Having only three varieties, two of which are native to China and Taiwan, and the other is native to the Eastern portion of the United States. Spreading by suckers growing from the roots, in it's natural habitat it is commonly found growing along the woods edge and fields or as the under story of a forest.