 | |
| AMERICAN SMOKETREE FALL COLOR... |
 |
| ...IN A SUNNY LOCATION |
 |
| ... IN A SHADED LOCATION |
Wednesday, 8:30 AM. 41.5 degrees F at the ferry dock, 39 on the back porch. Wind E, blustery at times. The sky is cloudy and overcast, the humidity 84%, and rain is expected. The barometer is at 30.34" and beginning to fall. The week ahead should be mostly cloudy, with low temperatures around 40 and highs in the high 40's, with rain again by Monday.
We have an appointment in Duluth at 1:00 PM today, which kind of shoots the day for anything else, but it will give us an opportunity to see the last of the color along the lake. Buddy will get a ride, which he loves, if not a run.
The American smoke tree, Cotinus obovatus, is in the Cashew Family, the Anacardiaceae, the same family as sumac and poison ivy. In fact, some authorities list the smoke tree in the same genus, Rhus.
Like sumac, the smoke tree has strong smelling yellow wood, unusual
flowers and fruit, and spectacular fall color. The smoke tree has
alternate, entire leaves, whereas the sumac has compound leaves. The
genus name is derived from the Latin name for the wild olive, and the
species name refers to the obovate shape of the leaves.
The smoke trees (there is also a Eurasian species, C. coggygria) are mostly planted for their unusual large, filmy flower plumes that evoke the appearance of smoke. The individual flowers and fruit themselves are visually insignificant. There are many cultivars of the Eurasian species, some with purple leaves. But, it is the American species which has the spectacular fall leaf color.
The American smoke tree, also called Chittam-wood, is native to calcareous rocky woods and bluffs in a small geographic area in the far south-central American Midwest and south into Texas, but it is perfectly hardy much farther north. It has been a favorite shrub of the National Arbor Day Foundation to distribute free to its members, so it has been widely planted.
The smoke trees (there is also a Eurasian species, C. coggygria) are mostly planted for their unusual large, filmy flower plumes that evoke the appearance of smoke. The individual flowers and fruit themselves are visually insignificant. There are many cultivars of the Eurasian species, some with purple leaves. But, it is the American species which has the spectacular fall leaf color.
The American smoke tree, also called Chittam-wood, is native to calcareous rocky woods and bluffs in a small geographic area in the far south-central American Midwest and south into Texas, but it is perfectly hardy much farther north. It has been a favorite shrub of the National Arbor Day Foundation to distribute free to its members, so it has been widely planted.
 |
| VOTE FOR TRIUMP, TO SAVE THE BILL OF RIGHTS AND THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION |
No comments:
Post a Comment