Trees

River Birch (Betula nigra). Schuylkill County, Pa. 2-1-25

This Oak Leaf [Quercus] shows the ravages of some unknown insect, revealing the beautiful veining structure of the leaf. Dauphin County, Pa. 11-15-24

White Oak Leaves [Quercus alba]. Dauphin County Pa. 10-12-24

Witch Hazel [Hamamelis virginiana]. Dauphin County, Pa. 10-6-24

American Chestnut [Castanea dentata]. Dauphin County, Pa. 10-3-24. This tree is the largest American Chestnut that I am aware of, and it certainly has battled the chestnut blight over the years, but it still survives and fights on. Every year it seems to have an abundance of burrs and this year is no exception, but the nuts inside are never very big as seen in one of the pictures.

American Chestnut [Castanea dentata]. Dauphin County, Pa. 10-3-24.

American Hornbeam [Carpinus caroliniana] These leafy structures at the tips of branches are called involucres. Each involucre slightly encloses a small oval nut. The seed or nut does not germinate till the spring of its second year when the seed matures. Tioga County, Pa. 12-8-23

A seedling Balsam Fir Tree [Abies balsamea]. Coos County, N.H.. The simple beauty of the tinest of things in the forest never ceases to move and inspire me. This was taken many years ago, and if it survived, it always makes me smile to think how big it could be today. Never mind the "if it survived' in my mind it will always be there.

White Oak leaf on a rainy dreary November day. [Quercus alba] Dauphin County, Pa.

Pine Needles caught on limbs in the setting sun light. Pitch Pine [Pinus rigida]. Dauphin County, Pa. 11-3-23.

Pine Needle caught on a limb in the setting sun light. Pitch Pine [Pinus rigida]. Dauphin County, Pa. 11-3-23.

Pine Needle caught on a leaf in the setting sun light. Pitch Pine [Pinus rigida]. Dauphin County, Pa. 11-3-23. I don't think that I have ever seen a pine needle stuck to a leaf before.

Pitch Pine Needles Catching the last rays of sun on a cold November day. Dauphin County, Pa. 11-10-23 [Pinus rigida]

The skeletal remains of a Witch Hazel leaf [Hamamelis virginiana]. Dauphin County, Pa. 10-15-23. After a year drought followed by rain and a devastating hail storm, then heat and drought again, this leaf finally succumbed to the ravages of some unknown insect. A year in the life of this one leaf and it still has a beauty all its own.

The beauty of a Black Gum Tree [Nyssa sylvatica] in fall . Dauphin County, Pa. 10-9-23

The beautiful fall leaves of the Black Gum Tree [Nyssa sylvatica]. Dauphin County, 10-6-23

Fruit of the Sassafras Tree [Sassafras albidum]. Dauphin County, Pa. 10-3-23. A great food source for migrating birds at this time of year, along with the fruit of the Black Gum Tree [Nyssa sylvatica].

Black Gum Tree [Nyssa sylvatica] fruit. Dauphin County, Pa. 10-6-23 Birds really love them, I have observed Cedar Waxwings and Robins gorging themselves on these berries in the fall and seem to really depend on them at this time of year.

The beautiful colors of a Black Gum Tree [Nyssa sylvatica]. Dauphin County, Pa. 10-6-23. Notice a single berry or fruit of the tree, birds really love them, I have noticed Cedar Waxwings and Robins gorging themselves on these berries in the fall and seem to really depend on them at this time of year.

This the largest American Chestut that I am personally aware of, is afflicted with chestnut blight, but it continually surprises me. This year, after a late frost and terrific hail storm, what a show of nuts! The nuts thenselves were not too big but it was great to see this old tree, no matter what, keeps surviving it spite of its afflication. Dauphin County, Pa. [Castanea dentata]

Scarlet Oak acorn [Quercus coccinea]. Dauphin County, Pa. 1-10-23

Tree burls. Dauphin County, Pa.

Twin fallen White Pine needles [Pinus strobus]. Dauphin County, Pa. 11-3-22

My favorite fallen pine needle picture from the fall. White Pine [Pinus strobus]. Dauphin County, Pa. 11-3-22

Sassafras Leaves in fall [Sassafras albium]. Dauiphin County, Pa. 10-16-22

Chestnut Oak Acorn caps [Quercus montana]. Dauphin County, Pa. 10-7-22

American Chestnut [Castanea dentata]. Dauphin county, Pa. 10-14-22

I can't imagine the days many years ago when the American Chestnut Tree ruled our forest, and in some areas up to 25 percent of our forest were made up of Chestnut trees. The indigenous peoples and early settlers depended on their nuts for food and even gathering nuts to feed their livestock through the long cold winters. They also used their dried burs for fire. Then the chestnut blight came along in the early part of the 1900's wiping out all native chestnuts in a matter of only a decade. But to this day their roots survive and send shoots up that with luck become large enough "throw" nuts, but in the end they all succumb to the blight. That is the case of this, the largest surviving Chestnut tree that I am aware of in my area of Central Pa. It shows wounds from the blight, as all surviving trees do, but it also shows healing from old wounds. How long can this tree fight the blight and almost certain death, who can say. But this tree is a testament to the power and determination of this wonderful American tree. The American Chestnut Foundation and other dedicated groups have been working tirelessly for many years to come up with a blight resistant stain of tree, through pollinated the American Chestnut with the Chinese Chestnut [whish is blight resistant]. After many years of hard work and something called back crossing, they have now developed a tree which is blight resistant and 99 percent American Chestnut. But in the end it will be the Chestnuts own ability to fight off the blight, like this tree here, that will save this species. In other words the grand old American Chestnut coming back! A great deal of thanks is owed to so many unnamed people who worked tirelessly for so many years, and for whom a great many of these people knew that they would never see the results of their work. Much more work is needed but it is time to celebrate the great American Chestnut, a tree back from the dead and extinction. [Castanea dentata] Dauphin County, Pa. 10-15-22

Witch Hazel [Hamamelis virginiana]. Dauphin County, Pa. 10-12-22

Scarlet Oak acorn [ Quercus cocciner]. Dauphin county, Pa. 10-5-22

Chestnut Oak Acorns [Quercus montana]. Dauphin County, Pa. 9-24-22

Redbelt Tree fungi [Fomitopsis pinicola]. Coos County, N.H. 7-10-22. I really love shadows, in this case, the shadows of Balsam Fir needles.

The beautiful Common Witch Hazel [Hamamelis virginiana] in bloom. Dauphin County, Pa. 10-25-21

Witch Hazel Cone Gall Aphid [Hormaphis hamamelidis] has laid its eggs between the leaf structure of a Common Witch Hazel [Hamamelis virginiana], leaf creating these unusual galls. Dauphin County, Pa.

Red Maple [Acer rubrum] in bloom.Dauphin County,Pa.4-9-21

American Holly [Ilex opaca].Dauphin County,Pa.3-5-21

Winterberry [Ilex verticillata].Perry County,Pa.10-8-20

Witch Hazel buds just opening and their flowers unfurling [Hamamelis virginiana].Dauphin County,Pa.10-5-20.The more I see Witch Hazel the more I am fascinated by this beautiful plant.

New Sweet Birch leaf [Betula lenta].Dauphin County,Pa.5-12-20

Burl on a Black Gum tree [Nyssa sylvatica].Dauphin County,Pa.11-5-19

The beautiful needles of the Tamarack or Eastern Larch [Larix laricina].The needles turn a golden yellow before fallen off for the winter.Dauphin County,Pa.11-10-19-"One of the northernmost trees.Indians used the slender roots to sew together strips of birch bark for their canoes.Roots bent at right angles served the colonists as knees in small ships ,joining the ribs to deck timbers."From the Audubon book Field guide To North American Trees

Fallen Pitch Pine needle in late afternoon sun.Dauphin County,Pa.11-3-19

Pitch Pine needle in Huckleberry bush.Dauphin County,Pa.11-1-19

Black Oak leaf [Quercus velutina].Dauphin County,Pa.10-25-19.The reason leaves fascinate me,isn't just their spectacular fall color,looking at them at this time of year you can see a story.All the battles the tree and it's leaves have fought all season long,from late frost to drought,disease and insects-it is all there if you just take the time to look.

American chestnut [Castanea dentata].Dauphin County,Pa.10-25-19

American Witchhazel [Hamamelis virginiana]in bud.Dauphin County,Pa.10-25-19.It wouldn't be fall to me without seeing the beautiful Witchhazel in Bloom,one of the very few plants you will see flowering in the fall

American Witchhazel [Hamamelis virginiana]in bud.Dauphin County,Pa.10-15-19.It wouldn't be fall to me without seeing the beautiful Witchhazel in Bloom,one of the very few plants you will see flowering in the fall

The delicious fruit of the Paw Paw tree [Asimina triloba].Dauphin County,Pa.10-1-19

An beautiful old Black Gum tree,with a stream running through its trunk.[Nyssa sylvatica].Dauphin County,Pa.4-4-19

Red spruce needles floating on a vernal pool [Picea rubens].Dauphin County,Pa.3-23-19

Red Oak [Quercus rubra].Dauphin County,Pa.1-1-19

Balsam Fir seedling [Abies balsamea].Coos County,N.H.9-5-18

Balsam Fir [Abies balsamea] growing out of a small stump.Coos County,N.H.7-4-15

Apple tree [Malus sylvestris],from the lumber days late 1800's.Tioga County,5-14-17.Notice the Yellow Bellied Sapsucker [Sphyrapicus varius] holes in the bark,for drinking sap.