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Urban Nature Pictures 6/12
Jun. 14th, 2010 05:33 pm
The gap left by a weeping willow killed by the wind opens a new view on the Public Garden.
Some mushrooms growing along Columbus Avenue.
The gap left by a weeping willow killed by the wind opens a new view on the Public Garden.
Some mushrooms growing along Columbus Avenue.
Urban Nature: Barred Owls in Boston
Nov. 28th, 2009 11:40 amI would be derelict in my duties if I did not pass on the Boston Birders' report of two Barred Owls in downtown Boston. One is in the Public Garden, not too surprising since this park is fairly large and is full of the kind of big old trees that big owls like. The other, however, has staked out a callery pear tree at tourism ground zero: Quincy Market. If you are in town, you should probably go check it out.
Urban species #028: Weeping willow Salix babylonica*
Native to China, this large, spreading tree is appreciated for it's unusual, drooping branches. This form can be artificially cultivated in other urban trees, such as cherry, but naturally occurs in the weeping willow. Often planted in city parks near water, it is an uncommonly thirsty tree. Ducks may nest in its vast spreading root structure, squirrels den in cavities in the wide trunk, the canopy of dangling branches gently sweeping the ground invite a picnic. Though exotic, weeping willow is not considered invasive in the United States, except Hawaii.
( two large photographs )
*The trees in these photographs are probably golden weeping willow, Salix x sepulcralis 'Chrysocoma', a hybrid that is cold-tolerant and can grow much taller than S. babylonica.
