Diving into Tree Debris

I wished and hoped for it. I complained about not having it. Rain, you came and you really wanted us to know it. Monday morning was a bit of a sad sight. Catalpa collapsed. Linden branches leaning. Sycamore limbs galore. A storm had rolled in Sunday and gave us some much needed rain but left a path of destruction. The big beautiful Catalpa outside the Maintenance area had completely fallen, root ball and all. Along with large limbs off some other trees. The grounds team was in for a a hot, sweaty and busy Monday.

 

Catalpa collapsed 

I love Catalpas (Catalpa speciosa). In early June my boyfriend and I will head down to Cape May for his birthday. On our drive there we count and yell out every time we see a Catalpa, like the plant nerds that we are. There really are a lot on the drive there! 

Panicles of white flowers beginning to open at the end of May

Catalpas are very distinct for several reasons. The flowers are large, white foxglove-like panicles, the leaves are heart shaped and to me appear a more lime green than other trees, and the fruit is long bean-like seed pods that give the tree it's nickname 'Cigar tree'. They are fast growing North American native trees and are easily grown from seed. The only downside is some might consider them a little...messy. Limbs often drop during storms as the wood is soft like White Pine and the leaf and fruit drop isn't everyone's cup of tea. I still love you and your messy self Catalpa! It might not be the best choice as an urban street tree but it is lovely where it can grow big and unobstructed.  

A show of white fragrant flowers

Cigar tree indeed!

Now that I've declared my love for Catalpas, back to storm clean up. As a team Mike, Andy, Alain and myself piled limbs of the fallen Catalpa onto our trailers to be hauled away for chipping. Andy, sporting his fabulous orange chaps, chainsawed the limbs into easier to move pieces. Mike, flaunting a fashionable Catalpa leaf on his ear, hauled the logs on to the trailer and tractor. On the other side of the road Alain and I, wearing matching forehead sweat, tackled the branches and debris there. Is this New York Fashion week or Foulkeways? I see no difference. 

It's called Fashion! Mike and Andy working on the large Catalpa trunk 

Alain finishing up the debris clean up on the other side of the road

The huge logs from the trunk were loaded into the dump truck by Andy

By Noon the fallen tree was reduced to just the root ball, which swiftly disappeared today. But wait, there is more! A Linden by N lost an unfortunately large limb.

 Lindens are another neat tree great for providing shade. Identified by the clusters of creamy flowers in early Summer, a neat pyramidal shape, dark green heart shaped leaves with serrated edges and grayish furrowed bark. Linden is a common name for the genus Tilia, a genus rich in folklore and history. Tilia americana, know as American basswood, is native to the East coast. Another popular species grown  here is Tilia cordata, little-leaf Linden, native to Europe. 

The center lost a huge branch, taking away that pyramidal shape

The flowers are wonderfully fragrant and a rich source of nectar for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The honey produced by honey bees from Linden nectar is said to be delicious! Every part including the leaves and flowers is edible to humans, the flowers often used in teas and syrups. The native Linden hosts the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Red-Spotted Purples and Mourning Cloak butterflies. The fruit provides food to wildlife such as birds and squirrels. 

The creamy yellowish flower clusters. Photo via NC State. 

The beautiful shape of Tilia americana. Photo via NC State. 

Folklore and history is abundant around Lindens.  Greek legends consider them a symbol of love and marriage as they did in Ancient Rome, where couples would decorate their homes with linden blossoms.  Early Europeans considered Lindens a symbol of friendship and looked to them for healing. Germanic mythology saw them as holy trees, symbols of peace and justice, love and fortune. The goddess of love and fortune, Freya, was thought to be associated with the trees. Many ceremonies and celebrations were performed around old trees with dancing and music. In Germany and France many would get married under a Linden tree, the sacred trees would create strong and lasting bonds. Overall, the feelings and images around Lindens are positive and happy - I mean who could be mad at them? 

Dance under the Linden Tree, 1881. Ludwig Knaus, Germany. 

I have been around some big and beautiful Lindens and can see why they have been so cherished throughout history. A distinct memory I have from Chanticleer is the huge silver linden (Tilia tomentosa) by the terrace at Chanticleer House, the fragrant flowers would buzz with bee activity when in bloom. This spot was a lovely, quiet place to reflect and enjoy the view through the seasons.

Late Winter framed by the Silver Linden

Spring

Summer

Fall

I got distracted again by trees! Cleaning up continued on various fallen limbs throughout campus. A big sycamore limb close to Meetinghouse. A Crabapple got squashed behind a unit in N. Limbs, Limbs and more limbs! 

There was a good amount of clean up but we were able to move fairly swiftly and safely despite the excessive 90 plus degree heat that Monday brought us. Drinking lots of water really helped but working together also boosted morale.  Yee haw Grounds Team,  our small team of  4 did pretty great! And we got to work on some interesting trees that have lots of importance and history to their names. All and all it was a very positive day despite the losses. 

Are there any trees that spark a memory or with an interesting history?  Comment below! Stay hydrated and cool out there - this heat wave just won't quit. 

Sources: 

American basswood

Folklore

Painting