Festival of the Trees

The Buttonbush Tree and the Swallowtail Butterfly

My husband and I were out canoeing one day a few weeks ago in July in Arkansas on the North Fork of the White River.  We came upon several small trees, called the Buttonbush.  These trees were covered in Swallowtail butterflies.  There were hundreds of the Swallowtails all over the Buttonbush trees.   I imagine that they just emerged from their cacoons and were feeding on the flowers of these small trees.  It was like magic seeing all of these beautiful butterflies.  We paused our canoeing and just watched the beauty of nature on a summer's day.

The Buttonbush is called Cephalanthus occidentalis.  It can grow to be 25-30 feet high and 4-5 feet in diameter.  Waterfowl and birds eat the seeds of this tree.  It seems the Swallowtail also enjoys the flowers.

August 31 - American Plum - Prunus americana

This is the American Plum tree in the summertime.  This tree lives in Mountain Home, Arkansas.   There is a grove of American Plum here.  The grove is in a garden on the Crystal Willet Nature Trail.  Master gardeners take care of this space.  The space is open and lends an air of peace that lets your mind rest and any tiresome thoughts just drift away.  There are benches for observing nature and plenty of nature around.  I saw rabbits myself as well as many different birds while sitting in the park this evening after work.  I highly recommend an afternoon in nature.  Just sit.  While sitting do not engage your thoughts, just acknowledge them and keep on sitting.