Re: Questions from a mild climate gardener


>
>How right you are!!  My son keeps telling me I should move to Florida (where
>he lives).  Unless I've missed something somewhere, everything is so boring!
>We don't get much snow here which I lament but I dearly enjoy the "naked"
>trees in the winter!  Each variety has a different "look" and personality.
>Almost hate to see them filled with leaves because, "when dressed," they lose
>their individuality.  Someday, I want to learn how to differentiate between
>the kinds of trees by their branching characteristics?

You can make some distinctions by branching characteristics or general
form, but if you want to learn to identify trees, you need to learn to look
at their leaves, bark, and buds.  Leaves are most obvious of course, but
when there are no leaves, those buds can give you alot of information about
a tree or shrub.  Look for a kind of book that is called a "dichotomous
key." These books lead you through a series of steps to identify plants.
You always have two options (i.e. leaves or needles) and the option you
choose leads you to the next descriptor at which point you choose between
two options (that's why it is called "dichotomous"), and so on until you
reach the end of the pathway at which point you are at the name of the
plant.  So for example, if your tree had needles, your next choice might be
"two inches and shorter OR longer than two inches.   Your next choice might
be "Three needles in a bundle OR five needles in a bundle" etc.  The
process is called "keying out" the plant.

See, I DID learn something in college!

Nan
**********
'''''''''''''''''''''''
Nan Sterman
San Diego County California
Sunset zone 24, USDA hardiness zone 10b or 11

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PERENNIALS
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index