THE TREE #4
This is the fourth posting in the
series “THE TREE” which follows the life of a special Honey Locust tree in the Gardens at Waters East. If you have not read the first posting,
it might be most helpful for you to do that. Go to the archives in this Blog and check out the posting – Beginnings - found on March 7, 2014. Reading this short introduction will
put this tree, this posting, and future postings in proper perspective. It will be helpful.
THE TREE - one week ago
Here are a few more “factoids”
about this tree.
The featherlike leaves on the
Honey Locust appear relatively late in spring, thus they have not fully
developed as of today. (The last
photo posted here was taken today.)
I was sure that they would be more mature by this time but – surprise surprise. Six miles inland from here at the lake, it looks like
summer. Not here on the shores of
Lake Michigan as you can see from the slow progress on this Locust Tree. At this time the buds are maturing and
beginning to open into leaves. They
start out yellow, then change to a greenish-yellow before changing to a more
solid green color for the rest of the summer. As the summer progresses, the tree then produces cream-colored
flowers which burst forth forming very fragrant clusters which in turn produce
the distinctive seed pods, 6 – 8 inch long, flattened red-brown and leathery
looking, becoming dry and twisted as they age. Photos of these pods will be posted latter in this series.
buds beginning to take shape
two weeks ago
the buds three days ago
the buds today - June 7th
Honey locusts commonly have
thorns 3 – 10 cm long which grow out of the branches. I can tell you from experience – they are sharp! The thorns are thought to have evolved
to protect the trees from browsing Pleistocene megafauna which may also have
been involved in seed dispersal.
The size and spacing of them is useless in defending against smaller
herbivores such as deer – and there are plenty of those in the area of Gardens at Waters East.
If
you wish to look at other blogs from around the world which are doing similar
monthly tree postings. click
on: http://looseandleafy.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-is-tree-following-and-list-of-tree.html
NOTE: Since this Blog is meant to be an
accurate journal of the gardens;
no photos are
“staged”, “arranged”, or ”photo-shopped” in anyway.
What is posted
– is what it here. It is what it
is.
gardensatwaterseast.blogspot.com
Wow, your Honey Locust is taking a long time to leaf out! But it certainly was a cold winter, and especially by the lake. Our Honey Locusts are mostly leafed out now. The cedar waxwings seem to like them. :) They're very tall--about 50 feet high, my husband estimates. I really enjoy their unique foliage and the way they provide dappled shade.
ReplyDeleteHi Jack.
ReplyDeleteSo interesting to follow your tree. Things happens fast now.
Here in Denmark it´s almost summerdays - 25C. We got rain two days ago but already need it again.
Wish you a nice Sunday.
So still early spring -- the influence of Lake Michigan is impressive
ReplyDeleteIt lovely to see the signs of spring finally emerging for you. The trees we have planted in our garden are always special to us too. Sarah x
ReplyDeleteour ash trees have shed most of their leaves. We have that brief part of our year when the branches stand tall and bare against the sly.
ReplyDeleteGlad I looked back on March 7th Jack. You have every reason to be pleased with your Honey Locust tree,she doesn't half hold back though.
ReplyDeleteMe encantan las fotografías son geniales. Ha estado un regalo el visitar tu bloc, te invito a visitar el mío y espero que disfrutes del post de esta semana, la decoración hindú de jardines y si no eres seguidora me encantaría que lo fueras, te espero en mi bloc elracodeldetall.blogspot.com
ReplyDelete