Tree talk on a November day—what could be better?

photo by E Barth-Elias

A rustling sound, crack!, woosh, then CRASH—a large oak limb plunged to the ground feet from where I was watering during August’s drought. I had planned to have a tree company come and clean up the large trees on our city lot. This near-miss resulted in an appointment with the arborist and a plan for November pruning. Preventative maintenance is the name of the game in the tree world.

Trees are pruned to:

• Correct formative issues such as narrow (weak) tree crotches and crossing branches.
• Create a structure that allows air and light to penetrate.
• Remove diseased and dead plant material. (This can be done at any time of year.)
• Create the aesthetic that will work with your landscape plan, such as limbing up a tree to create a standard profile or to allow shrubs and perennials to grow underneath, or removing branches that block walkways.

Timing is important, with the dormant season (generally from November into March in our area) the most optimal. Dormant season pruning minimizes pest issues associated with tree wounds, promotes wound closure when new growth flushes in spring, and prevents oak wilt (a serious fungal disease that can be fatal to oaks). A tree’s silhouette and branch structure are most easily seen during the dormant season. Dr. Edward F Gilman, Professor Emeritus at the University of Florida, explains that Growth is maximized, and defects are easier to see on deciduous trees if live-branch pruning is done just before growth resumes in early spring. Pruning after spring’s initial growth spurt begins, when trees are directing stored energy to the production of flowers, leaves, and roots, challenges plants. This is especially problematic for trees that are under stress. 

Do these pruning guidelines apply to trees that bloom in spring on old wood, such as magnolias or dogwoods? Shrubs in this category (lilacs, forsythias, etc.) are pruned after flowering to prevent losing next year’s flower buds, which form after the present year’s flowers fade. True, pruning these trees while dormant will remove some flower-power, but is still recommended. Fortunately, both of these trees need, and, in fact, prefer minimal pruning to shape.  Tip pruning in late spring (after flowers fade) can result in dense, twiggy growth that may present problems in the long-term.

Some species of trees, such as maples, magnolias, and birches, release sap when pruned in the early spring. Dr. Gilman assures us that, although unattractive, sap drainage has little negative effect on tree growth.

The arborist is scheduled to prune my large trees in the next few weeks. The health of these mammoth beauties and the safety of people and structures underneath demand it. November is a great time to evaluate the framework and health of trees and shrubs, and to make plans to correct any issues. Look Around!

TIME OF YEAR (WHEN TO PRUNE): Edward F Gilman, University of Florida

TREE PRUNING ESSENTIALS: Purdue University Extension

 K Edgington

American chestnut (Castanea dentata)

photo by Adam Haritan, Learn Your Land

For gardeners with a passion for native plants, ecological restoration, or simply growing something historically significant, the American chestnut (Castanea dentata) offers a unique and rewarding opportunity. Once dubbed the “Redwood of the East,” this majestic tree was nearly wiped out by a devastating blight in the early 20th century. Today, thanks to decades of dedicated breeding and biotechnological research, the American chestnut is making a hopeful return.

At its peak, the American chestnut was one of the most important trees in eastern U.S. forests, including the eastern half of Ohio. It produced attractive, rot-resistant wood for furniture and flooring and nutritious nuts that fed both wildlife and people. By 1900, an estimated 4 billion trees blanketed the Appalachian region.

Then disaster struck. In 1904, a fungal pathogen (Cryphonectria parasitica), introduced from imported Asian chestnut trees, began to spread. Within just a few decades, nearly every mature American chestnut was killed back to its roots. While not extinct, the tree is considered extirpated, meaning it is no longer found in its native habitat. It survives only as stumps and root sprouts that rarely grow large enough to flower and fruit.

Since the 1980s, several organizations—most notably The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF)—have worked to develop a blight-resistant American chestnut. Through crossbreeding with Chinese chestnut trees and backcrossing over generations, scientists have created hybrids that retain over 94% of the American chestnut’s genes while gaining resistance to the blight. Currently, no American chestnut is 100% blight tolerant.

More recently, biotechnologists have developed genetically modified (GM) versions of the chestnut by inserting a single gene from wheat that boosts the tree's ability to detoxify the blight fungus. These trees are currently under regulatory review and may soon become widely available to the public.

This spring the Cuyahoga Valley National Park planted 500 blight resistant hybrid chestnut trees in the Wetmore Trailhead and Camp Manatoc areas. Let’s all hope for the best. Nearby Happy Days Lodge was built in the 1930’s from wormy chestnut, wood harvested from blighted trees, and is one of the largest buildings of its kind in the world.

If you’re a gardener interested in helping the American chestnut return to the landscape, now is a great time to get involved. Consider planting a tree or grove of trees. While blight-resistant trees are still in limited supply, TACF and some partner nurseries offer seeds and seedlings to gardeners in select regions. These are often part of ongoing field trials, and you'll be contributing scientific data to an important cause. American chestnuts thrive in full sun and acidic soils in upland forest edges or open spaces. Expect trees to grow slowly, taking up to 20 years to produce nuts with 300-750 hours of winter chill below 45°F needed yearly (zones 4-8).

If you don’t have the dedication or space to plant on your own, you can still stay on the cutting edge of progress by joining the Ohio chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation. Find them HERE. Additionally, The American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project Facebook page has 51K members and lots of current information.  

The story of the American chestnut is still being written. New resistant lines, both hybrid and biotech, are being tested and gradually released. Planting an American chestnut today isn’t just an act of gardening—it’s contributing a vital part to our natural heritage. 

J Gramlich

CREATURE FEATURE

If a Tree Could Talk

If this white oak could talk...

photo by E Barth-Elias

October’s blue skies and blazing colors fade into sullen November. I cross the yard, sneakers marking the wet grass, and sink into a forgotten lawn chair. The damp chill increases as twilight approaches. I close my eyes and sigh, thinking of the long, dark winter to come.

“You’re dead wrong,” a voice says. Startled, I open my eyes to see…no one. “There’s so much life here,” the voice continues. “You miss it because you’re always on your phone.”

The voice seems to come from the massive oak tree at the back of the yard. Is someone behind it? “Humans,” the voice says, and the tree shakes its branches in disgust. “Put your phone down and look around.”

Good heavens. The tree is talking, and she sounds just like the Dear Editor! Guiltily, I slip my ever-present phone in my pocket. The oak continues her lecture. “There are miracles here. I’m a fountain of life, providing shelter and food to so many.” A loud flapping commotion ensues in her branches, and several wild turkeys materialize from seemingly nowhere and sprint off. “Good timing,” the tree says. “Let’s talk turkey. They roost in my branches for protection at night and spend their days foraging and promoting alternative meal choices for Thanksgiving.”

Do trees joke? I laugh nervously, just in case.

“Even humans notice the squirrels,” she sniffed, as one scampered up her trunk. “A classic arboreal species — spending most of their time in trees. American red and grey squirrels usually build large nests, called dreys, from bark, twigs and leaves. Some nest in tree cavities—hollow decaying spaces within a tree’s branches or trunk that begin with an injury, usually caused by wind, lightening or woodpeckers. You rarely see flying squirrels as they’re nocturnal, but they also nest in cavities.” 

“So many creatures use my cavities I lose count,” she continued. “If I could Airbnb them I’d make a fortune. There are always a few mom and baby raccoon families in residence over the winter—they love the easy access to acorns. Of course you know they don’t hibernate, but instead enter a deep sleep called “torpor” from which they may wake up on warmer days.”

It's hard to tell if a tree is being sarcastic, but I had to risk a dumb question. Deciduous trees were mostly bare by now, but the oak was still covered in leaves—albeit brown, withered ones. Was she sick?

“It’s called marcescence,” said the tree (who, like the Dear Editor, apparently reads minds). “I don’t develop an abscission layer—cells at the base of leaf petioles (stalks) that help leaves detach. I keep my leaves to protect new growth from frost and wind and to hide developing buds from hungry herbivores.”

“Where was I? Oh yes, cavity dwellers, like the opossums. Unattractive, yes, but they hide in branches during the day, so you don’t have to see them. They enjoy my acorns and insects. And my dear friend the grey fox. He climbs trees for food—eggs, nuts and fruit—and likes to sunbathe in my branches. He dens here—quite frankly I’m fully booked all season.

“No bears yet. The black bears visit for acorns but don’t stay. My heartwood hasn’t decayed enough to create cavities large enough for bear dens. You might spot a bobcat. They use trees for cover while hunting, and they fit in my cavities.”

“Of course, in warmer months I host reptiles like the gray rat snake, rough green snake and broad-headed skink, Ohio’s only tree-dwelling lizard. They’re gone now to hibernate in rock crevices or underground. Those marvelous gray tree frogs were also here. They can change color to camouflage on branches or leaves. They’ve gone to spend winters in sheltered spots under leaves, decaying logs or tree roots.”

“We can’t ignore the insects and arachnids—a foundational food source. It will take hours to list them, but I have plenty of time. And we haven’t even mentioned the most obvious—birds! There are cavity-dwellers and open nesters. An eastern screech owl is staring right at you, but you’d never know— she completely blends into my bark.” The voice begins to fade and my eyes close…

My buzzing phone wakes me. Wow, what a crazy dream, I think, struggling to my feet, anxious to get out of the cold. Something small and hard whizzes through the air, whacking into my head. Ouch! I look down at the acorn at my feet. Could it be…?? A second acorn hits my back. Ouch, I get it!—and put the phone away.

C Christian

Flame Thrower Redbud (Cercis canadensis 'Flame Thrower') leaves taking on fall color

photo by E Barth-Elias

Greenwood Avenue, Akron

photo by E Barth-Elias

It is almost impossible to imagine life without trees. Those of us who live in cities feel their shade and, conversely, the heat in their absence. Our park systems give us ready access to such shade and another, more nebulous benefit: the calming feeling that makes us sigh with pleasure when surrounded by their green abundance.

While evolutionary biologists argue about whether humans started their long history on Earth in trees or on savannas, there is no argument that trees played a major role in forging modern humans. You might say trees are part of our DNA.

Because of our long association with trees, it’s easy to take for granted the many ways these green giants make our lives better. Let’s name some.

First, of course, is shade, a byproduct of leaves, the air-exchange powerhouses that hang on branches. They quietly exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen, add water vapor to the atmosphere and store carbon at their feet. On a global scale, trees are among humanity’s greatest tools in fighting climate change.

In cities, trees regulate the ambient temperature, easing the urban heat island effect in neighborhoods fortunate to have substantial canopy. Streets swelter in areas lacking trees, the heat boosted and extended by sunlight soaking into concrete. Thus, trees play a big role in property values and, some studies have shown, a reduction in crime.

Temperature is important, but so, too, is the ability of trees to stanch rain runoff, keeping water in the soil and away from sewers and water treatment systems. That is not only a biological benefit, but also economic, easing the energy burden on air conditioning systems. Another economic boon of trees is their welcoming nature, encouraging shoppers and tourists to linger at stores and restaurants.

Trees help keep humans healthy. U.S. Forest Service research has demonstrated an increase in life spans in neighborhoods where trees are present. They reduce stress hormones that can lead to high blood pressure and heart attacks and contribute to lower rates of childhood leukemia, asthma, and allergies.

Trees sustain biodiversity. Birds, bats and pollinating insects depend on trees for food, shelter and breeding habitat. Trees benefit most aspects of our lives. We breathe cleaner air, are cooled by leaf canopy, have safer communities and calmer spirits.

With apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning, how do we love trees? Let us count the ways.

6 WAYS TREES BENEFIT ALL OF US: The Nature Conservancy

GOOD HEALTH GROWS ON TREES: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

S Vradenburg

Secrest's Peve Minaret unpruned, after a March haircut, and in August

photos by Jason Veil and K Edgington

Most of us prefer the natural silhouettes of plants—no pruning to form balls, cubes, or animals allowed. Yet, sometimes pruning can take a plant from being unwieldy, unattractive, or unsuitable to something superior, or even fun. It can create the exclamation point that makes the garden visitor stop and smile.

The staff at Secrest Arboretum in Wooster, Ohio saw such an opportunity in their 20 foot, 19-year-old Peve Minaret bald cypress (Taxodium distichum ‘Peve Minaret’). Secrest Curator, Jason Veil, had seen a Peve Minaret that had undergone a form of pollarding (all leaf-bearing branches cut back), resulting in an extremely narrow silhouette.  He and the staff decided to try the same technique on their Peve Minaret, and this past March they pruned all lateral branches to the trunk. Then the waiting began. Would their tree exhibit the tight, dense growth that they were after? Leafing out was slow, but by mid-August the tree displayed thick, healthy foliage on very short branches.  As the summer progressed, branches filled out, but the tight form remained.

The tree is a stopping point for Secrest visitors. It is visually arresting and a curiosity for those who know the broad, pyramidal silhouette of bald cypress. 

The staff will have to prune annually to maintain this form. Secrest Operations Manager, Paul Snyder, assures us that the process does not harm the tree, and it should live a naturally long life.

While many of us eschew pruning techniques in the landscape that result in artificial forms, there is a place for them and the beauty, charm, or whimsy they create. Visit Secrest’s Peve Minaret next summer, and see what you think.  

NOTE: Peve Minaret is a dwarf bald cypress cultivar that exhibits a compact form with feathery, upward-pointing, tiered branching. Left on its own, it will form a large shrub or tree (20-25’ tall and 10-15’ wide) and exhibit the tough, reliable characteristics of the species. Like all bald cypress, it responds well to pruning. In the photo to the left the Peve Minaret has been limbed up to create a classic tree profile. 

November Checklist:

• Continue to plant spring bulbs if the ground is not frozen.
• Mulch roses for winter protection; cut back to about two feet to prevent wind whipping.
• Do a final garden clean up: Harvest leftovers, clear plants and their supports and cover to preserve soil. FALL CLEAN UP FOR A HEALTHIER LANDSCAPE: Buckeye Yard and Garden onLine
• Take advantage of nice weather to pick weeds and rake leaves on the lawn. One last mowing keeps things tidy and helps curb disease.
• Consider forcing bulbs. Paperwhites and amaryllis are good choices.
• Bring in garden hoses and ceramic pots. Turn off and clear outside water faucets and sprinklers.
• Clean and lubricate garden tools.

J Gramlich

More learning opportunities:

• Summit County Master Gardeners: summitmastergardeners.org
• Summit County Master Gardeners on Facebook
• Follow Summit County Master Gardeners on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/osusummitmgv
• Submit questions to Ohio Master Gardener Volunteers at Ask a Master Gardener Volunteer (AaMGV)
• Find fact sheets and garden information at OhioLine Yard and Garden