What is a tree, and what is a shrub? It’s impossible to draw an arbitrary line separating the two because some species fall into both classifications. Loosely, a shrub is a woody plant with three or more stems eventually growing to a height of not more than 10’ feet—some say 8’ feet. A tree has … Read more
A host of new varieties developed by the fruit breeders of the United States is gradually replacing the older sorts. These may become outdated as further improvements bring better fruit crops. Certainly, the home orchardist should find sonic-worthy replacements for his older varieties by trying out a few new ones that have shown better than … Read more
Blueberries of a special brilliance, hardly approached by those of any other hardy plant, make the sapphire berry particularly well named. This display is at its best in many sections of the country in September, although it may start somewhat earlier in the southern states. The effect of a well-grown specimen, with its branchlets arching … Read more
One by one, our children have lost the simple, inexpensive pleasures of years gone by. Going nutting was one of these pleasures. Nothing gave the youth of an earlier day more delight than excursions to gather chestnuts, black walnuts, or hickory nuts. The loss of our countless chestnut trees through blight and the constant spread … Read more
The time to see Gordonia trees at the peak of their effectiveness is late August and September. During this season, it’s rather loose but upright figure is casually starred with white, cuplike blossoms nearly 3” inches across in a set of long, shining leaves, colors ranging from deep green to scarlet. Whether its height is … Read more
Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens syn. Libocedrus decurrens) is one of the few trees native to the West Coast that will cheerfully take all of the many zones. climates and exposures of the Pacific states. It is an evergreen mountain, wild from Baja California, north into the Cascades. Incense-cedar is hardy in Massachusetts; in the West, … Read more
Homeowners frequently need a small shade tree for their home grounds—a tree that is dense and bushy gives plenty of shade, yet requires little care. The Amur maple (Acer ginnala) fills these requirements. One of the hardiest of woody plants (hardy way up to the Hudson Bay country in Canada), it has an extremely wide … Read more
Are you planning on setting out trees and shrubs in your garden this fall? If so, consider kinds that put on brilliant foliage displays—maples, oaks, stewartias, dogwoods, fothergillas, euonymus, and others noted for autumn color. Actually, for the same amount of time, effort and expense, you can concentrate on flowering and foliage trees and shrubs … Read more
The story of the franklinia tree (Franklinia alatamaha) runs through the lives of many men. Its thread may be traced for nearly two hundred years in a rhyme or a pencil line; in a water-color drawing or a faded manuscript note; in a diary, a book of travel, or a forgotten name. Yet it is … Read more
Among the 300-odd members of its tribe, the weeping or Babylonia willow (Salix babylonica) is the most widely known for its unique value as a landscape tree. Only the pussywillows, prime favorites of millions who welcome the early foretastes of spring, can match it in popularity. A typical weeping willow reaches its full height of … Read more