Sweet Gum Tree, Before the Storm

The Sweetgum tree (also called Redgum or Sapgum) gets its name from the gummy resinous substance beneath the bark which, during pioneer days, was stripped from the trunk and used medicinally, or as a chewing gum.

Before the major wind and rain came through the Northeast last week, this Sweetgum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua) was in full color. Now all that remains are the prickly green fruit balls.

Another Tree Blog: Tree News

Looking for more news about trees?

Tree News is a blog about trees in the Atlanta area, authored by arborist Jesse Milton. Jesse is a Certified Consulting Arborist, and you can learn more about his knowledge and services at his business site One Bark.

Just check out his latest post about the Giant Pecan Tree! How cool is THAT?

For Mom

Happy Mother’s Day Mom! These flowers are for you!

Also, a very happy Mother's Day to Mama Jo!

Here is a little bit about the flowers for you:

The little purple ones are from my next door neighbor’s dwarf Chinese lilac bush (also called the dwarf Korean lilac). This beautiful bush began blooming in the last week or so, and it smells heavenly! Its fragrance is even stronger than the other lilacs on the farm.

Our pink-red flower looks like a rhododendron to me, but I couldn’t possibly tell you its particular species. It may be some sort of azalea, a cousin of the rhododendron.

The snowball tree you may recognize from your own gardens… I’m sure it has a real name besides “snow ball tree”, but I’ll have to work on finding that out for you.

As for the little white flowers in the grass – I have no clue what they are, but I love them! They decided to spring up under the trees a couple weeks ago, and appear to grow wild all around the farm. I am lurking with my shovel to bring some of them in closer to the cottage!

The hydrangea and the sweetgum have a wonderful little anecdote which I have been saving especially for Mother’s Day to share!

And now, A Mother's Day Story:

My landlady lost both her parents in recent years, one after the other. As with many other family members around the farm, she and her family have planted trees in their memory.

According to my landlady, in life her mother was a formidable and confident woman, while her was father a kind and soft-spoken man, an artist and craftsman. She described how her mother would always tower over her father, issuing orders which were to be followed forthwith.

In death, their story continues: for Dad, they planted the hydrangea, and for Mom, the sweetgum, which are pictured in these two final images. Mom continues to tower over Dad year in and year out, and Dad quietly opens his graceful blossoms each spring before Mom’s leaves are out in force.

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To my mom, Mama Jo, and to mothers everywhere:

Happy Mother’s Day!