Purdue University - Extension - Forestry and Natural Resources
Got Nature? Blog
On this edition of ID That Tree, meet umbrella magnolia, a small tree easily identified by the clusters of long simple leaves at the end of the twigs, which form an umbrella shape, and by its beautiful white blossoms in the spring.
If you have any questions regarding wildlife, trees, forest management, wood products, natural resource planning or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.
Resources:
ID That Tree, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store, Purdue Extension Resource Center
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
Pin Oak, Native Trees of Indiana River Walk, Purdue Fort Wayne
Lenny Farlee, Sustaining Hardwood Extension Specialist
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
With the holidays over the needles are beginning to fall from your natural Christmas tree, continue to spread holiday cheer by returning your tree to nature.
Jarred Brooke, Extension wildlife specialist, shares a few creative ways you can repurpose and recycle your tree this year.
“Before you throw your used natural Christmas tree in the trash, think about recycling it on your property. Instead of taking up space in the landfill, your tree could decompose naturally while providing cover and food for fish, wildlife or insects,” said Brooke.
No matter how you choose to repurpose your tree, make sure it is free from ornaments and decorations. Do not recycle trees that have been sprayed with “fake” snow or treated with chemicals.
Create a habitat for fish
Throwing used Christmas trees in ponds is a great way to recycle the tree and provide a fish habitat to your pond. The small branches provide hiding spots for small fish to escape from larger predators.
If the pond is frozen with more than four inches of ice, you can drag your tree onto the ice. The tree will fall into place once the ice melts.
You should only add Christmas trees to your ponds or other private ponds with the permission of the pond owner. While they do provide great habitats for fish, they can be a nuisance for fishing as hooks and lines may get caught on branches. It is recommended that you keep trees away from popular fishing areas like docks.
Resources:
Selecting a Real Christmas Tree, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension-Forestry and Natural Resources
A Choose-and-Cut Pine and Fir Christmas Tree Case Study, The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
Living Christmas Trees For The Holidays and Beyond, The Education Store
Growing Christmas Trees, The Education Store
Selecting an Indiana-Grown Christmas Tree, The Education Store
Forest/Timber Playlist, subscribe to Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel
Aquatics & Fisheries, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel
Ask an Expert: Pond Wildlife Management, Video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Ask an Expert: Pond Management: What to Do in Winter, How to Plan for Spring, Video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Aquatic Plant Management: Identifying and Managing Aquatic Vegetation, The Education Store
Pond and Wildlife Management, Purdue Extension-Forestry and Natural Resources
Jarred Brooke, Wildlife Extension Specialist
Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources
In particular, newly fall-planted trees, shrubs, and perennials should be monitored and watered late into the season, since they haven’t had time to develop extensive root systems.
Pay attention to evergreens plants. Evergreens do not go dormant in the winter and are still actively respiring and lose water through their needles. Deciduous trees respire at lower rates in winter.
Since soil insulates and cools down later in the year than the air temperature, roots stay warmer longer and respire at higher rates than the above-ground parts, the trunk, and branches, of deciduous trees after their leaves drop.
Only water when the temperature is above 40°F. In some places, that could be as late as the end of December. That last good watering is an important one.
Stop supplemental watering after the ground freezes because at this point the trees cannot absorb water through the frozen soil.
Other Helpful Resources:
Winterize Your Trees, The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
Why are the Gingko Leaves Not Falling, Purdue Extension-Forestry and Natural Resources Got Nature? Blog
ID That Tree Winter Edition: Alternate Leaf Arrangement – Black Walnut/Eastern Cottonwood, FNR Got Nature? Blog
ID That Tree Winter Edition: Opposite Leaf Arrangement – Ohio Buckeye/Red Maple, Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube Channel
ID That Tree Winter Edition: Alternate Leaf Arrangement – Honey Locust/Burr Oak, Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube Channel
How do Trees Use Water?, Purdue Landscape Report
Planting Your Tree Part 1: Choosing Your Tree, Purdue extension-FNR YouTube Channel
Tree Installation: Process and Practices, The Education Store
Lindsey Purcell, Chapter Executive Director
Indiana Arborist Association
On this edition of ID That Tree, meet a species of native Indiana oak from the broad red/black oak family, which is found in bottomlands and areas with imperfectly drained soil, the Pin Oak. This species is recognizable by round acorns with flat scales, bristle-tipped leaves with deep 90-degree angled lobes, and lower branches that angle downward.
If you have any questions regarding wildlife, trees, forest management, wood products, natural resource planning or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.
Resources:
ID That Tree, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store, Purdue Extension Resource Center
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
Pin Oak, Native Trees of Indiana River Walk, Purdue Fort Wayne
Lenny Farlee, Sustaining Hardwood Extension Specialist
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
Meet overcup oak, a species found on swampy ground and soils in southwestern Indiana. It is identifiable by its deeply sinused alternately arranged leaves as well as its acorns, which have a cap which encases nearly the entire acorn and typically don’t let go easily.
If you have any questions regarding wildlife, trees, forest management, wood products, natural resource planning or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.
Resources:
ID That Tree, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store, Purdue Extension Resource Center
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Overcup Oak, Native Trees of Indiana Riverwalk Purdue Fort Wayne
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
Lenny Farlee, Sustaining Hardwood Extension Specialist
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
In this edition of ID That Tree, Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee introduces you to a native Indiana tree that provided a substitute for coffee in its past. Meet the Kentucky coffee tree, which is known by its large pods, doubly-compound leaves and beautifully textured bark. Learn more inside.
If you have any questions regarding wildlife, trees, forest management, wood products, natural resource planning or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.
Resources:
ID That Tree, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store, Purdue Extension Resource Center
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
River Birch-Native Trees of Indiana River Walk, Purdue University Fort Wayne
Lenny Farlee, Sustaining Hardwood Extension Specialist
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
In this edition of ID That Tree, meet River Birch. As its name implies, it is often found near waterways and in moist soil areas across the state of Indiana. It can be multi-stemmed, often in landscaping, or single stemmed, often in woodlands and bottomlands. Simple triangular-shaped leaves with doubly-serrated margins and flaking/peeling bark are key identifiers. In younger trees, the bark peels more and can range from chalky white to reddish brown. Bark on older trees is darker gray/brown and peeling is less prominent.
If you have any questions regarding wildlife, trees, forest management, wood products, natural resource planning or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.
Resources:
ID That Tree, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store, Purdue Extension Resource Center
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
River Birch-Native Trees of Indiana River Walk, Purdue University Fort Wayne
Lenny Farlee, Sustaining Hardwood Extension Specialist
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
Purdue Landscape Report – Black Root Rot: Black root rot (BRR), caused by the fungus Thielaviopsis basicola,has a host range of several hundred plants. In the landscape, the most common hosts include pansies (Fig. 1), and vinca, along with calibrachoa and petunia. In perennial hosts, it often infects lavender, phlox, milkweed and butterfly-weed (Asclepius spp.). Even woody plants, like holly and elderflower (Sambucus spp.) can succumb.
Figure 2. Clean roots showing the characteristic black root rot. Photo by Janna Beckerman.
Figure 1. Pansies get a bad a rap for falling down in hot weather. Thielaviopsis is often the real culprit. Photo by Janna Beckerman.
Symptoms of black root rot are often mistaken for nutrient deficiencies. Older leaves may develop symptoms that look like iron chlorosis, while young leaves become stunted. Infected plants grow more slowly compared to healthy plants. Shoot length is reduced compared to healthy plants, and scattered dead shoots may be apparent. In pansy, one of the key symptoms of BRR is when seemingly ‘healthy’ plants may suddenly collapse when a brief hot spell occurs (Fig. 1).
Keep in mind that diagnosing any root rot requires observing the affected plant for symptoms, and collecting the infected tissue at the right time to culture out the pathogen or pathogens causing the problem.
Figure 3. Looking at sectioned black root reveals numerous chlamydospores. Photo by Janna Beckerman.
Resources:
Purdue Landscape Report
Root Rot in Landscape Plants, The Education Store
Ask The Expert: Tree Inspection, Purdue Extension- FNR YouTube Channel
Ask The Expert: Tree Selection and Planting, Purdue Extension- FNR YouTube Channel
Janna Beckerman, Professor
Purdue Botany and Plant Pathology
In this edition of ID That Tree, learn how to tell Red Hickory apart from its cousins shellbark, shagbark and pignut hickory. Located typically in upland dry sites, red hickory stands out with compound leaves with seven leaflets, long running interlacing gray bark, buds and twigs free of hairs, and lastly nuts with a husk that separates all the way down the sides of the nut.
If you have any questions regarding wildlife, trees, forest management, wood products, natural resource planning or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.
Resources:
ID That Tree, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources Youtube Channel
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR Youtube Channel
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store, Purdue Extension Resource Center
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
Lenny Farlee, Sustaining Hardwood Extension Specialist
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
Purdue Landscape Report – Tip Blights of Juniper: Junipers have to be my favorite group of evergreens, behind a select few pine species. They have a fantastic fragrance, are evergreen, many can tolerate drought, are an ingredient in gin (definitely a bonus), and work well in a variety of landscape uses, including as a barrier plant. They look great year round, except when they have tip blight.
Juniper with tip blight symptoms in the landscape
Phomopsis tip blight affecting multiple juniper branches
Tip blight is a common disease in nurseries and landscapes that cause branch tips to die back fairly quickly starting in the spring. Infected branches become chlorotic, progressing from light green to yellow, before turning brown as the season continues. Black fungal structures will develop in the transition zone between affected foliage and green, healthy tissue. Some of the infected scales may turn gray in color, surrounding these structures.
Two fungi cause tip blight, Kabatina and Phomopsis, and knowing which one you have is important to determine your management strategies. Both fungi produce similar symptoms and similar fungal structures,
Branch tips turning pale yellow due to infection by Kabatina.
so the presence of tiny black dots cannot help separate these diseases. Both fungi also infect a range of hosts, including arborvitae, cypress, Douglas fir, true firs, yew, Cryptomeria, and Chamaecyparis, but these are not as susceptible as juniper species.
Kabatina infects young, new growth during the growing season, but infected twigs remain green until winter and the following spring . . .
Resources:
Borers of Pines and Other Needle Bearing Evergreens in Landscapes, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Ask an Expert Question: Blue Spruce dying, what can I do?, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
Why Spruce Trees Lose Their Needles, Purdue Extension
Diseases Common in Blue Spruce, Purdue Extension
Purdue University Invasive Species
John Bonkowski, Plant Disease Diagnostician
Purdue Botany and Plant Pathology
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