The fruits of my summer labor are sending my boys back to school content, well rested and ready for a new year of learning, friends and fresh experiences. My walks this past week have piqued my interest in the hard labor the neighborhood trees have been putting in this summer. The sun’s rays have fueled the process of sugar development, nourishing the trees. The result of this biochemistry are healthy root systems, thicker layers of bark, fragrant and colorful flowers and now, many are putting out seeds!
I love marking time with the seasons. What may seem to some like the same boring walk around the block can actually be a walking meditation on the passing of time; not intentionally, that isn’t why I walk. (Ask Gemma, my sweet dog. She has reasons beyond mindful contemplation for walking.) But recognizing change in the natural world is a way to open up to life that for me is enlivening, and it makes me grateful to live in a place that enjoys 4 seasons. On one memorable trot, Gemma and I discovered the developing seeds on 8 different trees. What can you find on your next walk?
Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
I love this tree! There are so many fun textures to explore. The large, fragrant white flowers have attracted nocturnal pollinators all summer to encourage seed development. Its seeds are bound in a fuzzy fruit that will turn brown with age, acting as a pod for large red seeds. The photo below shows the newly forming fruits on my neighbor’s tree. (see first photo, far left below)
Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
Sweet gum balls or spiky balls (as so many of my students say) are a love it or leave it sort of late summer discovery. I’ve seen adults seethe at the sight of these. Look out for the few remaining young globular fruits this time of year that are still green, hard and closed. The transition to the more brittle and open seed pod is happening now, forming small beak-like openings around the whole seed pod. They hang from the tree on a stalk. The seeds inside are the size of poppy seeds and shake free from a tumbling ball. (see second photo from the left, below)
American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)
I love the paper thin leaves of a beech and the warm color it adds to a winter woodscape by not dropping its leaves until spring budding. I was excited to discover for the first time, the fruit of this native beauty. The American Beech forms two nuts tucked as a pair inside a hairy, triangular husk. The nuts are a source of fall food for wild animals. (see third photo from the left, below)
White Oak (Quercus alba)
White oaks are characterized by large, lobed leaves and an average size acorn (about ¾ of an inch long). While still green this time of year, some of the white oak acorns around my neighborhood have already reached full size and some are still growing. As they mature they will take on a light brown color. The bowl-shaped acorn cap, made of hard scales, covers about 1/4 of the nut; one distinguishing characteristic of white oak acorns. (see last photo, far right, below)
Loblolly Pines (Pinus taeda)
I’ve been watching this year’s cones form since spring. Because of the thin needles on this evergreen tree (as compared to the larger, flatter leaves of deciduous trees), it’s easy to spot developing cones on the end of the limb. They’ve finally seemed to have reached full size (up to 6 inches long) and are transitioning from hard, solid green cones to the brown, spiky cones most people are familiar with. Seed drop happens in autumn and some cones will drop also, but many will remain on the tree throughout the winter. Their seeds disperse by the wind. (see first photo, far left, below)
Hickory Tree
Hickory nuts are a fun find. The tree I pass by daily sits behind a wall of evergreen cypress trees on someone’s property so I’ve never actually seen the tree (so I don’t know its exact species), but it fruits annually and the result is a sidewalk littered with hickory nuts. On this day I discovered an unripe green nut lying next to ripe nuts. What you are seeing in the photo below, is the nut’s outer protective husk. The nut inside is edible. Oftentimes I see the husk split, making accessing food much easier. I’m sure the neighborhood squirrels, foxes, raccoons and birds appreciate the help! (see second photo from the left, below)
Water Oak (Quercus nigra)
An interest of mine is the terrific diversity of acorns on different oak trees. The water oak acorn is about a ¼ inch smaller than the white oak and much darker, (almost black) although in late summer, they are still green. The cap is flat on this acorn and I read that the nut takes two growing seasons to fully develop. I need to learn more about that! (see third photo from the left, below)
Red Bud (Cercis canadensis)
A native understory tree, red buds add a lot of color to a landscape. In the spring, their purple flowers grow in clusters along branches and twigs. Once pollinated, they develop into oblong and flattened seedpods. They are up to 4 inches long holding 4-10 seeds each. The seed pods remain on the tree through the winter looking dry, dark and rather droopy; a little disappointing for an otherwise lovely tree. (see last photo, far right, below)
This is my favorite tree guide to take into the field with me or to use as reference at home. Older versions are posted for free on various websites online. I received mine at a professional training.
“Common Forest Trees of NC How to Know Them” Published by the NC Forest Service
We are accustomed to marking time with alarms, the number of streaming shows we binge watch, dates on the calendar, or how long it took for a social media post to go viral. These are all important markers to note, but they don’t offer the grounding that nature does. The seasons are a mark of time that too many of us busy humans ignore. I think living a full life in this modern world means connecting to phenological phenomena and rejoicing in the subtle changes all around us. Go for a walk. Let me know what you find. Thank you for reading, Rachel