Oak trees are used extensively in the landscape because of their longevity, toughness and beauty. They are wind pollinated (allogamous), fertile and highly heterozygous, hybridizing readily where two or more interfertile species occur and have aptly been described as “notorious for their sexual infidelity”.– Clonal Propagation of Quercus Spp. Using a Container Layering Technique, J. Naalamle Amissah and Nina L. Bassuk
Category: flora
Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Hyphantria cunea
The good thing. Eagle was on overwatch while I pushed the lawnmower.
On the ground, trees are defoliated by some variety of tent caterpillar. They seem to be partial to walnut and pecan trees but they are munching on the yearling oaks as well.
Silhouetted.
Hoping someone can help me with critter ID.
RMH says:
The fall webworm feeds on just about any type of deciduous tree, where leaves are chewed; branches or the entire tree may become defoliated. Worldwide, it has been recorded from 636 species,[6] and is considered to be among the most polyphagous of insects. In the eastern U.S., pecan, walnut, American elm, hickory, fruit trees, and some maples are preferred hosts; in some areas persimmon and sweetgum are also readily eaten. In the west, alder, willow, cottonwood and fruit trees are commonly used.–Wikipedia
Sexual, asexual, vegetative
Plants, gentle reader. Propagation of plants.
It is the time of year for collecting acorns.
eating machine
Caterpillars have about 4,000 muscles (compare humans, with 629). They move through contraction of the muscles in the rear segments pushing the blood forward into the front segments elongating the torso. The average caterpillar has 248 muscles in the head segment alone. Wikipedia
quercus macrocarpa
Grows in the 48 contiguous states. This one is in a tree tube. Planted ten in April.
Wikipedia
Skagit County
sign in the Mount Erie parking lot. Not in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
crossing
Made a short video with still pictures embedded, VA-WA. Tunnel is in the Detroit Airport.
Music by Jim Orr
lack of water
Yellow poplar (Liriodendron) is notorious for shedding many leaves during summer droughts, sycamore (Platanus) sheds some leaves, and buckeye (Aesculus) may shed all of its leaves as drought continues. On the other hand, leaves of dogwood (Cornus) usually wilt and die rather than abscise. If water becomes available later in the growing season, some trees defoliated by drought may produce a second crop of leaves from previously dormant buds. Many times these leaves are stunted.–Dr. Kim D. Coder
These three trees planted in 2009, a swamp white oak and two sycamores in Riverview Park, need water. Trees are like dogs, or children, if you plant two inch caliper ($100) trees, they have to be cared for until their root systems are established.
According to Dr. Coder’s article these juveniles might still have a chance…
san francisco
not in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Unknown brand of tree. Pretty tree. Tree in SF.
three rivers
