Friday tree followup – Several people got this. Although the bark is unusually pale, this is a common persimmon, Diospyros virginiana. Persimmon is a common tree in Kentucky and is interesting year-round. The bark, resembling alligator hide, makes it easy to identify. In late fall, after a few cold nights, the fruit is ripe and […]
Here is the first Friday Tree. Each week, we will post a picture of a tree and see who knows what it is (on our Facebook page). When you post on the Facebook Page, tell us a little bit about your own experience with the tree. Then, once we have some good choices, we’ll provide […]
Urban parks in Lexington Kentucky contain many trees that were growing long before the parks were established. It is common for parks to include large, old trees, but these usually were planted after estalishment of the parks. In Lexington, most urban parks in the older parts of town were small parts of large estates. The […]
Urban forestry often focuses on planting and management of young trees. Very large, old trees are rare in urban settings outside of parks and cemeteries. Not so in the Bluegrass, where huge, ancient trees are abundant throughout our cities and towns. In the Bluegrass, cities have grown up on land that used to be woodland […]
New slideshows are now appearing at our photography web site, The Lives of Trees. Visit the Latest Stories at the Lives of Trees to see what’s new. We will continue updating stories at both sites. We will post information about all updates to both sites here.
Woodland pastures have been a dominant feature of the Bluegrass landscape since before settlement in 1779. Today, central Kentucky farms are still the home of ancient trees in woodland pastures. Click the picture below for a slide show of woodland pastures in the Bluegrass. .
Shumard oak, Quercus shumardii, is a puzzling tree. It is not abundant anywhere in its large range. It is easily confused with other red oaks, and it probably hybridizes with them. In the Bluegrass, Shumard oak is common, but highly variable. Here is a slide show of Shumard oaks in the Bluegrass.
Trees with limited root systems often fair poorly, unless they are very deeply rooted. Here is a slide show of a white ash with a very limited root system that is doing well because it is deeply rooted in the limestone rock.
There is a beautiful old catalpa tree at Ashland, in Lexington, KY, that has been loved by generations of visitors. I suspect it is the most photographed tree in the Bluegrass. A close look at the tree shows the great character that develops with age. Here is a slide show of the old tree.
Ohio buckeye, Aesculus glabra, is a common tree in the Bluegrass and Midwest. Here is a slideshow of its life cycle. More photos will be added as time permits.
Fringetree is one of the most elegant small trees in our flora. Here is a slideshow about fringetree at The Lives of Trees.
Have you noticed any ash trees in your neighborhood dropping green leaves? Several days of heavy rain over the last few weeks have allowed the development of a common ash disease called ash anthracnose. The disease is caused by a fungus, Gnomoniella fraxini. The fungus spends the winter on old petioles (leaf stalks) and branches. […]
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Cross-posted at Native Tree Society. Many of us are familiar with the books by William Harlow, including the classic Textbook of Dendrology (Harlow and Harrar), Fruit Key and Twig Key and other forestry books. This reminiscence is sparked by several pictures from one of Harlow’s books posted on Facebook by Chris Budesa. When I was […]