#38 Caring for Mother Earth: Let's Talk Trees

Oak tree photo by artellliii72 at Pixabay

Greetings, readers. And welcome back to this series, Caring for Mother Nature, by my friend, author and naturalist, Peggy Sias Lantz.

This post is nearing the end of this series—there are two more to come. I’m sad to say that, but I’m grateful for the chance to have shared Peggy’s work with you this year. She is a most dear friend of mine and kind-hearted teacher.

Today Peggy tells us a bit more about trees, especially the two most beloved oaks in Florida where Peggy and I live.

Did I tell you that Peggy, who just celebrated her ninety-first birthday, has authored more than ten books on topics about nature, such as Florida’s edible wild plants? Check them out on her website: https://peggysiaslantz.com.

Let’s talk trees

by Peggy Lantz

The oldest tree in the United States is estimated to be 4,800 years old. It’s a bristletcone pine (Pinus longaeva) living in California. It’s called Methuselah.

About 850 different species of trees are in the United States. Florida has 460 species of native trees, more than any other state. The general consensus is that a tree (or other plant) native to Florida is one that existed here before the arrival of Europeans.

Florida has 42 varieties of palm trees, but only 12 species are native. Most are sensitive to cold temperatures, even in central Florida. The cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto) and the saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) are Florida’s most ubiquitous palms. Both palms are cold hardy north to South Carolina. The cabbage palm is the state tree of both Florida and South Carolina. South Carolina also pictures it on its license plate and flag.

Palm trees grow slowly. Cabbage palms are ten or fifteen years old before they begin to show a trunk. After that they grow about two to six inches a year.

Florida’s beloved oaks: Laurel and Live

But let’s talk a bit about Florida’s most beloved and useful trees – oaks. There are 19 species of oaks native to Florida, from the spreading, long-lived, evergreen live oak to small scrubby oaks that are mere bushes. Our favorite oaks are Live Oaks (Quercus virginiana) and Laurel Oaks (Quercus laurifolia).

Laurel oaks are the ones most often planted along roadsides because they grow with a straighter trunk than live oaks, which tend to have sprawling branches.

Live oaks are longer lived, living hundreds of years, while laurel oaks have a life expectancy of about 75 years. Live oak leaves are stiff and leathery with curled edges, dark green on top and lighter or rusty colored on the bottom.

Laurel oak leaves are longer and more flexible and green top and bottom. Live oaks have deeply ridged bark, but the bark of laurel oaks is less ridged.

Acorns and insects are the most important wildlife benefit of oaks. They do not produce acorns until they are ten or fifteen years old, but many bird and animal species consume them, which provides protein, fat, and calories. And oak trees provide sustenance for more insects than any other species of plant, which in turn provide caterpillars and beetles for birds to feed their nestlings. The nestlings of even seed-eating birds require insects for protein.

I included acorns in my book, Florida’s Edible Wild Plants and have made acorn meal and included it in biscuits and pancakes. It is delicious, but a lot of work. I parked under one of the oak trees on the church property recently, and an overhanging branch was loaded with acorns. I’ll be gathering them when they’re ripe.

—END—

Stay tuned for Peggy’s final post coming soon. We sure thank her for this series of lovely and loving articles about caring for mother nature. I’ve learned a lot. How about you?

Thanks for reading!

Your writer on the wing,

Charlene