Trees in parks and gardens 2010

[TheOnionMan]

While out and about I also photographed another Oxydendron I had seen at the local botanic garden--also blazing this year--in fact I would say in the top 5 trees I saw in that garden for autumn colour.

Marc, have you ever tried collecting seed of this?
I assume since it is an Ericaceae, those capsules might take a long time to ripen,
and would contain tiny seed (maybe kalmia or rhododendron like?)

I have examined the tiny hard capsules very late in the season, and have found what appears to be seed (similar as you say, to other ericaceae) but I never paid too much attention nor have I tried collecting/growing any seed.  I figure if I wanted more trees that I would try cuttings first, maybe I'll experiment doing that next year.  For what it is worth, I have never seen a self-sown seedling appear.

Gorgeous coloring on that specimen of Oxydendron.  While my tree always colors well, I'm starting to think it is the hot dry weather that makes for the most intense fall color.

[Kristl Walek]

I think it has more to do with the clone---it has been a VERY WET and miserable season here.

If you want to experiment with the seed this year, I would certainly love to get this tree into commerce 

[Kristl Walek]

The other particularly good plants I saw in the botanic garden today were Parotia persica, a very good, clean vibrant yellow Ginko biloba and the native Itea virginica.

[Kristl Walek]

I would like to show you again one of my favorite small North American native trees: Asimina triloba. First, flowering on bare branches (May 12th this year).

By June, the foliage is out---very large and long, clean, dark-green leaves, drooping on tiered branches, with a tropical effect.

Large fruits develop in summer- which were ripe and collected today (Nov 4th). Sometimes large developing fruit can actually detract from the beauty of a plant---another reason why Asimina is so great. The fruits are almost entirely hidden amidst the huge, drooping leaves--one actually has to search hard to see them during the growing season.

On this day, the foliage was still intact, some of it having taken on some golden colour, the overall ornamental effect of the specimen as a whole is still there at this time of the year.

The leaves and bark contain toxins that make them impalatable to most insects and the plant is naturally fungus resistant--- another huge horticultural plus.

And if this were not enough....on to the fruit....

[Kristl Walek]

Just to give you a perspective of the size of the fruit....here it is in Alisha's (large) hand.

Cut open, an extremely neat compartment containing (too few) very large seeds for a seed collector, but a good thing from the edibility point of view.

Too bad it is apparently not very mass-marketeable because the outer shell is too thin/fragile, and vulnerable for commercial purposes.

And this is just about the most delicious fruit I have tasted in a very long time. You will read it described as a cross between bananas and pineapple---but Alisha and I both agreed that it is about as close to creamy-mango as you could come. Slightly more acidic but very sweet.

She and I will work our way through them over this week, watching first to see if they ripen any further sitting in a fruit bowl. And next to the bowl is a "seed bag" where we must deposit the same of each fruit eaten.

Seed must be kept moist packed after harvesting and requires a 90-120 day cold period to sprout. This is hypogeal and an almost 12" tap root will have emerged before top growth. Obviously a very deep pot is required for the initial phase.

[cohan]

I would like to show you again one of my favorite small North American native trees: Asimina triloba. First, flowering on bare branches (May 12th this year).

By June, the foliage is out---very large and long, clean, dark-green leaves, drooping on tiered branches, with a tropical effect.

Large fruits develop in summer- which were ripe and collected today (Nov 4th). Sometimes large developing fruit can actually detract from the beauty of a plant---another reason why Asimina is so great. The fruits are almost entirely hidden amidst the huge, drooping leaves--one actually has to search hard to see them during the growing season.

On this day, the foliage was still intact, some of it having taken on some golden colour, the overall ornamental effect of the specimen as a whole is still there at this time of the year.

The leaves and bark contain toxins that make them impalatable to most insects and the plant is naturally fungus resistant--- another huge horticultural plus.

And if this were not enough....on to the fruit....

very cool! i don't suppose this is hardy enough for me, though?

[Kristl Walek]

Cohan,
I was not able to overwinter any purchased stock in North Gower, but grew it several times from seed, and the seedlings *did* survive (often happens with marginal woody material---if grown from seed). But I was perhaps at that stage (of global warming) one zone warmer than you. Here of course (almost Zone 7) there is no problem.

[TheOnionMan]

Nice series on this excellent tree Kristl.  I have never tried the fruit, and now I'm anxious to try it some time.

The Pawpaw tree (Asimina triloba) grows up into southern Ontario, and I know of a number of gardens here in Massachusetts with good sized specimens of it, so it should be hardy at least to USDA Zone 5.  Given the plants range (see link below), it could be that there are hardier forms from the northern end of its distribution compared to very southerly collections. There are two gardens north of me in New Hampshire that have largish trees of Pawpaw growing; I'm assuming they also produce fruit.

The common Pawpaw, this link has some fascinating information, including this line about the common name:
The name, also spelled paw paw, paw-paw, and papaw, probably derives from the Spanish papaya, perhaps because of the superficial similarity of their fruit. Pawpaw has numerous other common names, often very local, such as prairie banana, Indiana (Hoosier) banana, West Virginia banana, Kansas banana, Kentucky banana, Michigan banana, Missouri Banana, the poor man's banana, Ozark banana, and Banango.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asimina_triloba

Flora of North America, species description and distribution map:
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=220001231
http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=5361&flora_id=1

Genus general description, 8 species in North America, the 7 species other than triloba are deep southern plants from Florida and adjacent areas.
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=102827

[cohan]

thanks, kristl and mark, maybe worth a try sometime, though likely wouldn't mature enough to fruit if its marginal..

[YT]

Hi all, I went to a tea producing area about 50km from my home today. It's tea blossom season now.

[TheOnionMan]

Hi all, I went to a tea producing area about 50km from my home today. It's tea blossom season now.

Tatsuo, I have never seen cultivated fields of tea; fascinating to see.  For some reason, I assumed trees would be taller, but can see they are low and wide; I assume they are pruned to grow this way to maximize the amount of leafage.  I'm a huge fan of tea, although drinking tea is not as popular here in the USA compared to the UK, but there's a growing tend to drink tea for beneficial health effect and enjoyment.  My favorite tea recently (besides Irish & English tea blends) is Japanese Roasted (or Toasted) green tea, or Ban-Cha.
http://www.amazon.com/Choice-Organic-Ban-cha-Toasted-16-Count/dp/B000H7FZ42

[Gail]

Fascinating pictures Tatsuo.  Do the blossoms have a fragrance?

[Lvandelft]

Now that's something else than the Dutch bulbfields.
To be honest I had no idea that tea is planted in this way. Very interesting.
Tatsuo, I have one question seeing the many long piles in the field.
I think those near the road are for energy and/or telephone, but what function have those in the field?

[Kristl Walek]

Today was the first sunny day since the floods & rain stopped ---- and after being stuck indoors for a week I was itching to get out.

The bulk of the trees have lost their foliage, either because it was the right time to do so; or due to the hurricane-strength winds that accompanied the recent heavy rains. The tough little Asimina, however, is still in leaf; and a much prettier yellow than the last time I photographed it. The Oxydendron is now defoliated, but the seed receptaces still adorn the tree, looking in effect like silvery-white flowers. Unfortunately this is a tall tree and it only flowered right at the top, so I could not even photograph the seed.

Katsura is one of the last species I collect each year; the pods lining the leafless branches were still mostly green and unopened. I am always surprised to see a stray cluster of pods even on fairly large limbs.

The majority of the decorative seed of Carpinus caroliniana had been blown away in the storm; but I managed to collect a small quantity.

[YT]

Mark, these tea trees are trimmed for fitting to picking machines. I love the hand picking first flush most

Gail, yes it has faintly scent. I feel something greenish note blended with C. sasanqua scent but it’s too weak to describe them exactly

Luit, these are power cable for defroster fans set up at top of poles. These fans prevent delicate (and most precious) first flushes from damages caused by late frosts.

Kristl, I like walking through on sweetly scented fallen leaves of Katsura