Tree huggers around the globe
The Cullens take a world tour through the many different species of trees
The better we know trees, the deeper our understanding of the natural world.
Trees are to the land, what whales are to the sea. Big, imposing and by their very stature they influence many parts of our lives.
The recently published book Around the World in 80 Trees, written by the Brit Jonathan Drori, illuminates the value of trees by informing us about their unusual character.
For every tree species there are many stories. Drori distills the fascinating history and lore of trees into a book that is hard to put down. One or two pages for each tree species.
Here are the highlights from our point of view.
SUGAR MAPLE (ACER SACCHARUM)
Even if you can’t identify this tree, you will undoubtably know the sweet syrup that is created from its sap. Perhaps less well known are the fabulously bright yellow and red/ orange colours that the leaves of the Sugar
Maple glow late each fall. This colour is present in the leaves of the maple all season long.
Through the power of the sun, the natural process of photosynthesis creates chlorophyll which produces the green leaves through the growing season. As Drori explains, “Leaves also produce orange and yellow antioxidant chemicals – carotenes and xanthophylls – to mop up any highly reactive oxygen produced as a by-product of photosynthesis.”
As chlorophyll is broken down and reabsorbed late in the season the leaves’ green colour disappears... Voila. the leaves change colour.
Our cold Canadian evening temperatures and sunny days in autumn are the key to bright, crisp fall colours. Which is why these same trees do not produce the same intense show when planted in milder climates.
HEMLOCK (TSUGA HETEROPHYLLA AND TSUGA CANADENSIS)
The evergreen hemlock tree is a very useful tree indeed. “Tender branches with soft foliage were used as bedding; bent trunks were carved into large feast dishes; bark tannin treated leather and made a reddish dye used as a cosmetic blusher.”
Perhaps the western hemlock has gained recent notoriety mostly as a treatment for cancer.
The versatile hemlock is a wonderful understory tree that thrives in shady places. The eastern hemlock matures to over 12 meters and makes a great specimen tree on a large suburban lot.
Next time you venture into the woods, take note of the hemlock that grow seemingly in mid air, with a monstrous gap between the main trunk and the roots that drive into the soil.
This is the result of an interesting habit hemlock have of germinating on a rotting stump or fallen tree. As the roots expand around the wood, it eventually rots away and leaves the roots hanging.
Fun. And spooky.
HORSE CHESTNUT
(AESCULUS HIPPOCASTANUM)
Grab some chestnuts that have fallen fresh to the ground come October and try to resist rubbing your thumb over their smooth chestnut (!) coloured skin and throwing them as far as you can.
Come spring, try to resist not stopping to observe the amazing infrastructure of the candelabra flowers.
This member of the orchid family has flowers to match.
All you must do is stop long enough to observe the delicate florets in their fullness.
During WWII, Anne Frank wrote about the chestnut tree in her backyard, which was a silent marker of seasonal change while she hid from the Nazis.
While the tree died in 2010, saplings grown from its seeds were distributed as beacons of optimism.
The Linden (tilia): is a versatile tree that produces an abundance of sweet lime flowers in May that make a soothing tea.
Bees are attracted to these flowers too, sometimes in such numbers that the whole tree hums, producing a coveted, sweet honey.
Beech (fagus): is the lover’s tree.
Carve your initials in it along with your sweetheart and watch it grow. On your 50th anniversary you can renew your vows under a mighty tree.
We are not recommending you deface a public tree, but you could carve a message into your own beech. And note that the message will not grow higher as the tree matures.
One more little tidbit of tree trivia that you will learn from this book.
Mark Cullen is an expert gardener, author, broadcaster, tree advocate and Member of the Order of Canada. His son Ben is a fourth-generation urban gardener and graduate of University of Guelph and Dalhousie University in Halifax. Follow them at markcullen. com, @markcullengardening, and on
Facebook.