Festival of the Trees - February 27 - The Bamboo Plant - Tree

The Bamboo.  The amazing tree-like plant for the Festival of the Trees.

While walking in the Leu Botanical Gardens in Orlando this week, I came upon this bamboo  The bambo plants are all standing close together in various shades of green; the nodes are swelling getting ready to sprout.  http://www.leugardens.org/


The bamboo is in a family called Poaceae.  Plants in this family are called true grasses; bamboo, a tree-like plant is in this family.  Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on the earth.  
 
There are three native bambo plants to America.  The majority of bambo is native to Southeast Asia and Latin America.  If you ever want to grow your own bambo, it is most important to only plant native bambo that is native to where you live.   This is so that the animals, the birds, and insects will always have their native food and habitats.  Biodiversity is what will keep our ecosystems healthy.  By planting such a prolifically- growing plant, that is not native, one may lose the native species and thus, the native wildlife.

Bamboo can be used in so many ways. I was reading about bicycles, boats, and fabrics all made from bamboo. Bamboo grows fast and does not need pesticides or fertilizers to grow. Bambo is very efficient at cleaning air and water, even more so than trees.  I am going to start wearing bambo in honor of this tree-like plant that cleans so much of our air and water.

Peace,

Rebecca
http://ayearwiththetrees.blogspot.com/

February 9 - The Paw Paw Tree - Asimina triloba

The Paw Paw Tree

This Paw Paw patch is at the Asheville Botanical Gardens.  ashevillebotanicalgardens.org 

The Paw Paw Tree

 

The Paw Paw Tree

The buds are expanding and swelling each day this time of year.

Rebecca

February 3 - The Fig Tree - Ficus carica

February 3 - The Fig Tree

The Fig Tree is the "A Year With the Trees" tree for Feb. 3, May 3, August 3, and November 3.  You can read more about this tree by clicking on Ficus carica and also on ficus on the left under "labels."

This Fig Tree lives at the Thomas Edison Estates in Florida.  I was there in January and found the Edison estates to be so amazing.  What an incredible individual.  Did you know that he had 1,093 successful U.S. patent applications????  amazing.....As a chemist, I am totally into this fact....

There are beautiful trees everywhere.  You see, he was going to make rubber from trees other than rubber trees, and he did extensive tree planting and research on that subject.  He also loved edible trees...I did read that he planted the fig trees in a place that he could not see from his house for he thought they were, well to put it nicely.....unattractive....that is one point that I disagree with Mr. T.  on.

I do recommend visiting the Thomas Edison estates in Ft. Myers, Florida.  www.efwefla.org/
Perhaps Mr. T. was also a Lorax relative, like me....

This tree always reminds me to add a bit of the sweetness to our lives by smiling or passing on a kind word at each person/animal/plant you come across during your day and night. Who knows the effect a smile or just one kind word might have on another life.

Peace,

Rebecca

Happy Birthday Rheta W.!!!

February 1 - The Apple Tree - Malus domestica

The Apple Tree

The Apple Tree

This Apple Tree lives next door to me. The apple tree reminds me of Apple Cider and Apple Jack and pioneers moving out west in America. You see, I have been listening to the book, "The Botany of Desire" by Michael Pollan. If you ever want to learn more about this amazing fruit, I encourage you to listen or read what Michael P. has to say. I found what he talked about most enlightening.
www.michaelpollan.com

"The first wealth is health." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Rebecca