A Year With the Trees project. What is the tree blog all about anyway?

Cercis canadensis,  Red Bud, Fruit

This blog is about the trees that are native to the Southern Appalachians. 

It is a collection of photos, drawings, and writings.  I hope this collection will inspire anyone who finds it to plant, and nurture native trees and plants in their own yards, cities, parks, and walkways.

By writing this blog, I hope to spread a bit of that fun, beauty, peace and joy that nature provides.

Why 92 Trees

I chose 92 Southern Appalachian trees because I wanted one tree to study for each day of the season.  

By visiting each tree in all four seasons, I felt like I could truly get to know them.

Since there are 90-92 days per season, I needed 92 trees that lived close enough to me to visit.

Winter:  December (31), January (31),  February (28) = 90 days .

Spring :  March (31),  April (30), May () = 92 days

Summer: June (30), July (31), August (s) = 92 days

Fall:  September (30), October (31), November (30s) = 91 days

Total:  365 days

I selected these species from a wonderful book, Native Trees of the Southeast, an Identification Guide by L Katherine Kirkman, Claud L. Brown, and Donald J. Leopold.  (Timber Press, 2007). 

Since I live in Western North Carolina, I choose the 92 trees native to Western North Carolina.

The Practice of Visiting

Because it is difficult to visit every tree in person every single day of the year, there are some days when I visit them in my heart and mind.  On those days, I think about the tree, read about it, ponder it, draw it, or write a poem.

I have created a journal where each tree has its own page.  I head out with my journal and a pen; once I am with the tree, it is my quiet time to listen and be in the moment.   I may write, draw, or even take a nap.  I love to take it all in with all of my senses:  sight, sound, smell, touch, and - sometimes - even taste.

A Year of Observation

I aim to sketch, paint, and photograph each tree through all four seasons.  Each tree is hugged, listened to and sat with.  

Spring:  Amazing buds, leaf growth and flowers.

Summer:  Lush leaves and fruit to fascinate any observer.

Fall:   Breathtaking leaf color and autumn fruits. 

Winter: Interesting bark, dried fruit, twigs and buds.

My goal is to complete this journal for all 92 trees across all four seasons.   Eventually, I hope to  create a Year With the Trees workshop each season for others who want to be creative and learn more about our native canopy.

I hope this blog inspires you to grow and nurture native trees and plants where you live, work, learn, and play.  Inspiration, learning, and appreciation of nature are the three traits that always make life a bit sweeter.

Contact me: You can reach me at Celerylady@gmail.com.  Or, you can send me a message here on the blog.    Thank you for reading this and I hope to hear from you soon!

Becky


A Year With the Trees
A Collection of Southern Appalachian Trees

Aceracae, The Maple family
1.   Acer negundo.  Box Elder
2.   Acer pensylvanicum.  Striped Maple
3.   Acer rubrum.  Red Maple
4.   Acer saccharinum.  Silver Maple\
5.   Acer saccharum.  Sugar Maple
6.   Acer spicatum.  Mountain Maple

Annonaceae, The Custard Apple Family
7.   Asimina triloba.  PawPaw

Aquifoliaceae, The Holly Family
8.   Ilex montana.  Mountain Winterberry
9.   Ilex opaca.  American Holly
10. Ilex verticillata.  Common Winterberry

Araliaceae, The Ginseng Family
11.  Aralia spinosa.  Devils Walking Stick

Betulaceae, The Birch Family
12.  Alnus serrulata.  Tag Alder
13.  Betula alleghaniensis.  Yellow Birch
14.  Betula lenta.  Black Birch
15.  Betula nigra.  River Birch
16.  Betual papyrifera - Paper Birch
17.  Carpinus caroliniana - American Hornbeam
18.  Ostraya virginiana - Eastern Hornbeam

Caprifoliaceae - The Honeysuckle Family
19.  Viburnum prunifolium.  Black Haw

Cornaceae - The Dogwood Family
20.  Cornus alternifolia - Alternate Leaved Dogwood
21.  Cornus florida - Flowering Dogwood
22.  Nyssa sylvatica - Black Gum

Cupressaceae - The Cypress Family
23.  Juniperus virginiana - Eastern Red Cedar

Ebenaceae - The Ebony Family
24.  Diospyros virginiana - Persimmon

Ericaceae - The Heath Family
25.  Kalmia latifolia - Mountain Laurel
26.  Oxydendrum arboreum - Sourwood
27.  Rhododendron catawbiense - Catawba Rhododendron
28.  Rhododendron maximum - Rosebay Rhododendron

Fabraceae - The Bean Family
29.  Cercis canadensis - Redbud
30.  Cladrastis kentuckea - Yellowwood
31.  Gleditsia triacanthos - Honeylocust
32.  Gymnocladus dioicus - Kentucky Coffeetree
33.  Robina pseudoacacia - Black Locust

Fagaceae - The Beech Family
34.  Castanea dentata - American Chestnut
35.  Castanea pumila - Allegheny Chinquapin
36.  Fagus grandifolia - American Beech
37.  Quercus alba - White Oak
38.  Quercus coccinea - Scarlet Oak
39.  Quercus falcata - Southern Red Oak
40.  Quercus marilandica - Blackjack Oak
41.  Quercus montana (prinus) Chestnut Oak
42.  Quercus phellos - Willow Oak
43.  Quercus rubra - Northern Red Oak

44.  Quercus stellata - Post Oak
45.  Quercus velutina - Black Oak

Hamamelidaceae - The Witch Hazel Family
46.  Hamamelis virginiana - Witch-Hazel
47.  Liquidambar styraciflua - Sweetgum

Hippocastanaceae - Buckeye Family
48.  Aesculus flava - Yellow Buckeye

49.  Aesculus parviflora – Bottlebrush Buckeye

50.  Aesculus pavia – Red Buckeye

Juglandaceae – Walnut Family 

51.  Carya cordiformis – Bitternut Hickory

52.  Carya glabra – Pignut Hickory

53.  Carya ovata – Shagbark Hickory

54.  Carya tomentosa – Mockernut Hickory

55.  Juglans cinerea – Butternut

56.  Juglans nigra – Black Walnut

Lauraceae – Laurel Family

57.  Sassafras albidum – Sassafras

Magnoliaceae – Magnolia Family

58.  Liriodendron tulipifera – Yellow Poplar

59.  Magnolia acuminata– Cucumber Tree

60.  Magnolia fraseri - Fraser Magnolia

61.  Magnolia macrophylla - Bigleaf Magnolia

62.  Magnolia tripetala - Umbrella Magnolia

Moraceae – Mulberry Family

 63.  Morus rubra - Red Mulberry

Oleaceae – Olive Family

64.  Chionanthus virginicus - Fringe Tree

65.  Fraxinius americana - White Ash

66.  Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Green Ash

Pinaceae – Pine Family

67.  Albies fraseri - Fraser Fir

68.  Picea rubens - Red Spruce

69.  Pinus echinata - Shortleaf Pine

70.  Pinus pungens - Table Mountain Pine

71.  Pinus rigida - Pitch Pine

72.  Pinus strobus - Eastern White Pine

73.  Pinus taeda - Loblolly Pine

74.  Pinus virginiana - Virginia Pine

75.  Tsuga canadensis - Eastern Hemlock

76.  Tsuga caroliniana - Carolina Hemlock

Platanaceae – Sycamore Family

77.  Plantanus occidentalis - Sycamore

Rosaceae – Rose Family

78.  Ameranchier arborea - Serviceberry

79.  Crataegus, sp. - Hawthorn

80.  Prunus americana - American Plum

81.  Prunus pensylvanica - Pin Cherry

82.  Prunus serotina - Black Cherry

83.  Sorbus americana - American Mountain Ash

Rutaceae – Rue Family

84.  Ptelea trifoliata - Hoptree

Salicaceae – Willow Family

85.  Salix nigra - Black Willow

Styracaceae – Storax Family

86.  Halesia carolina - Carolina Silverbell

87.  Styrax grandifolius - Bigleaf Storax

Tiliaceae – Basswood Family

88.  Tilia americana – Basswood

Ulmaceae – Elm Family

89.  Celtis occidentalis – Hackberry

90.  Ulmus alata – Winged Elm

91.  Ulmus americana – American Elm

92.  Ulmus rubra – Slippery Elm

Thank you everyone for reading this.  I would love to hear from you.  
Becky

celerylady@gmail.com