trees
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Natural Object: Cones
I have trouble distinguishing the baldycypress (T. distichum) and dawn redwood (M. glyptostroboides) trees, but the cones are quite different. Above, the baldycypress cones are to the left, the dawn redwood to the right. I have a house full of pods, seeds, and cones, I’ve never found very many baldycypress cones before. They break up…
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Natural object: Ginkgo
This is the tip of a knobby spur twig of a gingko branch that had been knocked down in the snow some weeks back in Prospect Park. I brought it home and popped it in some water to see if it would leaf-out. Slowly, but surely, it is. It has an undersea look to it…
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Blow downs in Prospect
More than 50 trees were brought down in Prospect Park during this weekend’s terrible storm. Several were venerable. I haven’t made it to the park yet, but I fear I will be missing some old friends. I still mourn a fine old white oak, which might have dated back to near the birth of the…
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Natural object: Sweetgum pod
I’ve always liked these. The seedpod from the sweetgum tree, Liquidambar styraciflua. They are persistent; this one, one of a whole host, only recently (probably in our recent heavy snow) brought to earth. Each cavity contains many tiny seeds, which provide food for songbirds, chipmunks, squirrels, and couple things we don’t see much of in…
Backyard and Beyond 