Also, this is from the tree behind it, but I'm wondering if it's vines that did this to the bark, or something else? I know this poor tree probably isn't healthy, but isn't the detail fascinating? (Click on the image to view the MONGO detail.)
Zorak asked me today if we are assuming that all vines on the trees are poison ivy. I have no idea. I'm just assuming that all vines on the trees ought not be there and must come off. Probably ought to check on that at some point, huh?
There's a lot I have put off, for the simple reason that this whole landscaping thing falls into one of those "painful ironies" categories. I've got two pretty big fears embedded in my imagination. One is of a vampire-werewolf cross - horrible creature, really. The other is vines that have malicious intent and will grow clear across the meadow, up the side of the house, through the window, and kill me in my sleep. Rent Watcher in the Woods. It could happen.
So today's three hours of yanking vines off trees and out of the ground? It's like shock therapy for the overly imaginative.
Kiss those babies (and keep the vines away from the windows!)
~Dy
8 comments:
Ok..it's early and I can't find my Southeat US plant bible from my college days.
These trees look familiar and I can narrow them down when I find my plant bible.
The vine on the top pic is not Poison ivy. It looks like Virginia Creeper or Smilex. The tree looks like an Elm or Hickory. The leaves are not Hickory so I have to do some research.
The bottom picture is normal bark. It's supposed to do that bumpy thing and get all splotchy. I beleive that one is Beech, but then again....no bible to check and it's been almost 15 years since I've done field ID's.
Dr. Rembert would be so disappointed in me.
I can research after co-op.
This has to be for fun then going: there is a white oak...another white oak...oh look a pin oak...a sweet gum....a sweet gum, OW! a sweet gum. We don't have much variety in our trees.
I pulled out my pocket guide and my two best guesses for the first tree is either Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra) its inner bark has a 'gluey aromatic' smell. Or, Eastern Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) aka "Ironwood" for its extremely tough wood.
The second photo I am not sure. My instincts want to say birch or beech, but I don't know and can't find anything clear enough to say that is it in my tree book.
Good luck with everything. I hate pulling vines, which is probably the reason we have allowed English Ivy to consume one of our trees - we just keep it from moving on from there.
Amy in Apex
I think the bumpy tree bark may be hackberry. One way to identify poison ivy vines- the really large ones will be extremely "hairy".
Dot
Just checking in to see if you are safe.
I see you are well :o)
Donna
The second picture is a beech tree--the distinctive smmoth,grey bark gives it away. The first one is darned familiar, but I'm just not sure. Might be a Sourgum or a Slippery Elm, but don't quote me on that.
As for vines--a word of warning from a poison ivy expert: Do NOT touch any vines that look "furry" or "fuzzy". They are poison ivy. These vines can grow to several inches in diameter and have a woody bark. The "fur" (tiny little mini-vines that help hold the main vine to whatever object it's climbing) are the main identifying factor. And don't be fooled into thinking that because their's no foliage, that there's no risk of a rash. I'm currently nursing a small patch of poison ivy rash on my face, so the subject is quite fresh in my mind, LOL!!
I don't believe it's an elm. Elms usually have deeper and more regular lines (veins) on the leaves, and I think they have deeper, more well-defined teeth along the edges. I'm still looking. I found a couple possibilities and ruled two out already. I love a puzzle, though:o)
It may be a poplar--perhaps balsam poplar. The bark is smoother when the trees are younger, but becomes more deeply furrowed and rough as they grow. The leaves are finely toothed and shaped about like that.
The vines in the picture are definitely not poison ivy. Poison ivy vines look kinda hairy. I'll have to post some pictures of the poison ivy vines, Virginia creeper, and wild grape that we have around here. They are all very different and easy to tell apart. Virginia creeper is beautiful (so is poison ivy) and harmless. The wild grape has kind of taken over in some places.
What kind of leaves does the other tree have?
Y'all are all crazy. The top tree is most definitely a hickory (though I can't tell for sure which variety). I can't imagine that you're not tripping over the hickory nuts scattering the ground, though it might be a poor producer that got entirely carried off by squirrels. Still ought to be some hulls on the ground, however.
The lower one is a beech, always easily identifiable by their elephant skin bark. (The trees look like elephant legs).
The beech doesn't look damaged to me. Most of the ones I have seen recently have some sort of scarring or knobs on them. Still watch out for those vines though. It could be absolutely anything from huckleberry (if you're lucky) to poison ivy (if you're not).
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