| A
few scarlet leaves of Blackgum still hang from limbs, and others,
freshly fallen, decorate the trails along the eastern end of the
Center. Cold nights of the past week will soon disperse the remnants. |
|
Common Name: Blackgum
Scientific Name: Nyssa sylvatica
Where to Look: Most common along Grapevine Loop and Hickory Loop.
Photo and text by Bill Stark |
|
| For
several weeks the trails around Bois d’Arc trees have been
littered with large fleshy “horse apples” or “osage
oranges”. These fruits have a milky sap and contain defensive
chemicals which cause dermatitis in some individuals. They are
considered inedible by humans but squirrels and deer consume most of
our crop each year. |
|
Common Name: Bois d’Arc
Scientific Name: Maclura pomifera
Where to Look: Throughout the Center but common along Pioneer Trail and near the Old School Site.
Photo and text by Bill Stark |
|
| Baccharis
trees in Butterfly Garden have their showy seed plumes on display. A
few weeks earlier the inconspicuous flowers were present and pollinator
activity was high. Through the winter months the seeds will loosen and
be dispersed by the winds to potential germination sites. This shrub is
quite common along highways across the Southeast. |
|
Common Name: Groundsel Tree
Scientific Name: Baccharis halimifolia
Where to Look: Most abundant in Butterfly Garden but also common around the Greenhouse.
Photo and text by Bill Stark |
|
| Sparkleberry
is perhaps the most common small tree in the Center, and it is the
species with the most consistent (and persistent) local fall leaf turn.
In addition, the trees bear small dark fruit which birds relish. This
is a “huckleberry” native but the fruit is drier and less
attractive for human consumption than that of other members of the
family. |
|
Common Name: Sparkleberry
Scientific Name: Vaccinium arboreum
Where to Look: Throughout the Center but most attractive at open sites around Butterfly Garden.
Photo and text by Bill Stark |
|
| Fall
is the season when Maples become “stars of the forests”.
Red Maple is aptly named for the red stems and red samaras produced in
early spring but the deep red leaves are also a beautiful accent for
Mississippi’s forests. |
|
Common Name: Red Maple
Scientific Name: Acer rubrum
Where to Look: Uncommon at the Center but several individuals occur along Pioneer Trail.
Photo and text by Bill Stark |
|
Virginia
Creeper, a vine often mistaken for Poison Ivy, has five leaflets
instead of three and like Poison Ivy, they develop an intense red color
in the fall. At the Center the two species are often found together as
low growing vines on the ground, or in arboreal sites.
|
|
Common Name: Virginia Creeper
Scientific Name: Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Where to Look: Throughout the Center.
Photo and text by Bill Stark |
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