The mark left on the twig at the point of attachment of a leaf petiole when the leaf falls.
Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) – Leaf Scar
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gla·brous (glā’brəs)
Smooth without hairiness or roughness.
gla·brous (glā’brəs)
Glabrous. Smooth without hairiness or roughness.
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The Japanese Cedar, not a true cedar, is a beautiful evergreen and is a worthy consideration when looking for alternatives to more common evergreen selections. Hardy in zones 5-9 this conifer develops a dense pyramidal or conical habit. Overall mature height is about 50 feet and a spread of 20 feet.
As the tree matures the reddish brown bark becomes quite the feature for this tree, peeling off in long strips. The medium green foliage will develop into a bronze color in the winter and returning to green in the spring.
Best used in large open areas and will tolerate urban conditions such as compacted soils, poor drainage and air pollution.
This tree has many cultivated varieties, from the dwarf to the variegated you’ll likely fine a Japanese Cedar to fit your unique conifer needs.
A few varieties of note:
- Cryptomeria japonica ‘Black Dragon’ (Very dark green summer foliage)
- Cryptomeria japonica ‘Sekkan sugi’ (Variegated)
- Cryptomeria japonica ‘Tansu’ (Dwarf)
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When it comes to comfort and efficiency, the beauty of trees is matched by their utility. Strategically planted trees around your home create a beautiful landscape while also providing energy savings all year round. Deciduous trees that shed leaves in the autumn can provide shade to cool a home in the summer, while allowing sunlight and its warmth into the interior of the home in the winter. Well placed conifers and other evergreen trees and shrubs can deflect or block winter’s harshest winds.
Cooling
Trees can shade a roof and walls from the hot summer sun. They will also create a cooler atmosphere around the home, cooling sidewalks and driveway that normally reflect heat. They are able to do this through a transpiration process that cools the air around them, acting as natures evaporative coolers. According to one study, cooling costs can be cut by 50 percent if half of the roof is shaded. Shading the air conditioner will also improve its efficiency by 10 percent.
When planting trees and shrubs around your home:
- Consider the seasonal sun angles when planting for sun shade. Buildings with large south or west exposures need shad mid to late afternoon.
- Medium to large trees provide excellent cooling because they shade both home and yard, helping to cool both the structure and the surrounding areas. [click to continue…]
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Here are some helpful safety tips to keep in mind when working outdoors near power lines.
- Assume all overhead and buried lines are energized or carrying electricity.
- Never touch any line hanging from a power pole or laying on the ground, or anything it is touching. Keep others away and call the electric utility.
- Do not attempt to remove branches or trees that have fallen on the lines. Call the local electric utility.
- Look Up! Locate power lines before climbing a ladder, trimming limbs from a tree, or climbing on your roof.
- Do not use aluminum ladders or metal tree pruning equipment near power lines. Electric current can travel through your tools or ladder through you and to the ground.
- When plans call for digging a hole for planting a tree or dig a trench be sure to call and have your utilities located. Never assume that the utilities are buried deeper than you plan to dig.
- Remember ” the right tree in the right place.” To avoid future/power line conflicts, plant trees away from power lines or plant trees that will grow less than 25 feet at maturity.
- When planting trees or shrubs near ground mounted transformers be sure to maintain a 3-foot clearance to the sides and back of the transformer. Equipment inside the box generates heat and needs air circulation to keep cool and run efficiently. Overheating could cause an outage.
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Aphids may be green, black, brown, red, pink, or some other color. These pear-shaped insects are slow moving and range in size from 1/16 to 1/8 inch long. They have conspicuous slender antennae and near the rear end of the abdomen there are two tubes called cornicles. Some may have transparent wings.
Habit
Dense colonies of aphids may be found along stems or on the underside of a leaf. They are drawn to succulent new growth. Several generations may occur and populations can build up quickly.
Damage
Aphids are sucking insects which draw great quantities of sap, causing leaves and stems to become distorted. This distorted growth is often mistaken as herbicide injury. Some plant sap is excreted as honeydew, which makes the plant sticky. Sidewalks, cars, and patio furniture may become wet with honeydew. Care should be given in plant selection as to avoid the mess caused by this honeydew. A sooty mold often grows in the honeydew and blackens stems, leaves and any other surface.
Control
One non chemical control is to wash off aphids with a steady stream of water. Avoid heavy applications of nitrogen fertilizer which can encourage succulent plant growth. Natural predators such as lady beetles and aphis lions feed on aphids but may not always provide adequate control
Aphids may be green, black, brown, red, pink, or some other color. These pear-shaped insects are slow moving and range in size from 1/16 to 1/8 inch long. They have conspicuous slender antennae and near the rear end of the abdomen there are two tubes called cornicles. Some may have transparent wings. Dense colonies of aphids may be found along stems or on the underside of a leaf. They are drawn to succulent new growth. Several generations may occur and populations can build up quickly.
Aphids are sucking insects which draw great quantities of sap, causing leaves and stems to become distorted. This distorted growth is often mistaken as herbicide injury. Some plant sap is excreted as honeydew, which makes the plant sticky. Sidewalks, cars, and patio furniture may become wet with honeydew. Care should be given in plant selection as to avoid the mess caused by this honeydew. A sooty mold often grows in the honeydew and blackens stems, leaves and any other surface. One non chemical control is to wash off aphids with a steady stream of water. Avoid heavy applications of nitrogen fertilizer which can encourage succulent plant growth. Natural predators such as lady beetles and aphis lions feed on aphids but may not always provide adequate control
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lan·ce·o·late (lăn’sē-ə-lāt’)
lan·ce·o·late (lăn’sē-ə-lāt’)
Lance-shaped, broadest above the base, gradually narrowing to the apex.
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Stewartia monodelpha known commonly as Tall Stewartia or Orangebark Stewartia is a slow growing deciduous tree hardy in zones 6-8. Reaching a mature height of 20 to 25 feet and a spread of 15-25 feed this tree develops a rather symmetrical pyramidal crown in its youth developing into a vase shaped outline as it matures. [click to continue…]
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fer·tile (fûr’tl)
Capable of producing fruit; or productive, as a flower having a pistil or an anther having pollen.
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This fast growing Norway Maple variety forms a rounded canopy that is densely branched. Hardy in USDA Hardines Zones 3 to 7, this deciduous shade tree reaches heights of 45′ and spread of 40′. Medium green color in spring and summer turing yellow in the fall. Performs best in full sun to part shade, and moist well drained soils.
Reported to be tolerant of deer, pollution, wind and dry sites (once established).
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