Friday, March 06, 2009

Buds Shut Tight

Last week, all the budscales were still clamped shut. Perhaps a few days like today will persuade them to relax just a little. I believe this understory tree is hop hornbeam, although it grows in a forest-edge thicket so entwined with blue beech trees that I'm not sure where one individual ends and another begins. I hope we get better acquainted this spring.

These bright red bud scales are hawthorn, given to showy displays no matter the season.

2 comments:

Larry said...

The first pic looks like hop hornbeam to me. So you also have Carpinus? I've seen the tree in Southern Missouri but I haven't seen it this far north.

Reya Mellicker said...

All the buds here are on the verge of popping. It's very warm; wouldn't surprise me if I saw a few pear blossoms by the day's end.

The upwards surge of spring energy is palpable. I'm so restless I want to jump up and down, grunt - or something!

Beautiful bud pictures, thank you. And happy spring!