Native Texan Trees
Flor de Mimbre: also known as Desert Willow, Flowering Willow, Willow-leaved Catalpa, Desert Catalpa, Mimbre, Trumpet Flower and Bow Willow.
Latin name: Chilopsis linearis.
A part of the Trumpet-Creeper Family, the Flor de Mimbre is not related to the willow. It is native to southwest Texas and spreads into Mexico and across to parts of California. Flor de Mimbre tends to grow in desert regions and should not be located in an area that receives more than 30 inches of annual rainfall. It has a high tolerance of drought, heat and cold, and produces swathes of ornamental flowers with low maintenance.
Physical Characteristics: The Flor de Mimbre is deciduous, meaning that its linear, spearhead-shaped leaves are green all year round. Blooming season is anytime from April to September, but mainly during the summer months. The blossoms are funnel-like and range from white to lavender in color with five ruffled petals. After the buds fall off, a seed pod grows in their place. It is considered a small tree, or a large shrub that can grow to be about 25 feet tall. The trunk and branches usually twist and bend in gnarled curves.
Physical Characteristics: The Flor de Mimbre is deciduous, meaning that its linear, spearhead-shaped leaves are green all year round. Blooming season is anytime from April to September, but mainly during the summer months. The blossoms are funnel-like and range from white to lavender in color with five ruffled petals. After the buds fall off, a seed pod grows in their place. It is considered a small tree, or a large shrub that can grow to be about 25 feet tall. The trunk and branches usually twist and bend in gnarled curves.
Cool Fact: The indigenous people in Mexico and southwester America use the leaves for basket weaving.
Texas Madrone: also known as Naked Indian, Madrone and Manzanita.
Latin Name: Arbutus xalapensis.
A part of the Heath family, Texas Madrone usually has multiple trunks and grows to be about twenty to thirty feet tall. The Madrone is deciduous. The leaves have a leathery texture and the outer bark is exfoliating, while the inner bark is flesh-colored and smooth. The Texas Madrone produces a white blossom in the late winter and early spring measured at around 2.5 inches. It can grow up to 36 feet tall, or as little as 12 feet tall. This tree uses more water than the Desert Willow, but is also tolerant of the cold. The multiple trunks of the Madrone are typically skinny and kinked.
Escobilla: also known as Gregg’s Ash and Little-leaf Ash.
Latin Name: Fraxinus greggii.
A part of the Olive Family, the Escobilla is considered a small tree or a large shrub, standing at 19 feet tall. The leaves of the Escobilla are pinnate and a deep green with a rubbery feel. The blooms of the Escobilla are not noticeable, but are a green color. The Escobilla is generally located on bluffs, in canyons, or near arroyos. The Escobilla is heat and cold tolerant and can survive on low amounts of water in shaded areas.
Cool fact: the name “greggii” is actually the Latinized version of Gregg. Josiah Gregg, after whom the Escobilla received its Latin name, was a traveler who took interest in geology, botany and trees, and published two volumes of his learnings in 1844. The American Botanical Society honored Josiah by creating a Latinized form of his last name and naming 23 plants after him.
7. “Chilopsis linearis.” Native Plant Database. The University of Texas at Austin. Copyright 2011 Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Web. 14 Nov 2011. <http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CHLI2>
This data site was very helpful in attaining scientific information regarding the Desert Willow. Difficult words were underlined, and when moused-over, an explanation appeared. This page included details about the appearance of the Desert Willow, its location, general characteristics of the tree and its blooms. The site also provided a plethora of photographs that enabled me to visualize the tree and its blossoms much more easily than words could.
There were not any statistics on the page about the general intake of water of the Desert Willow, or the estimated number of Desert Willows in existence. Granted, that would be nearly impossible to measure. The scientific terms are helpful in understanding concisely what the tree looks like and how it functions; however, it would have been a bit more helpful if there were more descriptive words that normal people use.
8. “Arbutus xalapensis.” Native Plant Database. The University of Texas at Austin. Copyright 2011 Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Web. 14 Nov 2011. <http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CHLI2>
This data page helped in the same way that the page about the Desert Willow helped. There were a lot of simple facts about the tree: its appearance, its location, what kind of leaves grew on it, etcetera. There was also information about the conditions that were most favorable for the Texas Madrone and an extensive photo gallery.
I enjoyed the little insights into the different names given to the Texas Madrone, my favorites being Naked Indian and Lady’s Legs. The fleshy color of the bark of the tree evokes images of bare skin. Also, the Latin name, xalapensis, is derived from the name of the city of Xalaca in Veracruz, Mexico.
9. “Fraxinus greggii (Gregg’s Ash).” Native Plant Database. The University of Texas at Austin. Copyright 2011 Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Web. 14 Nov 2011. <http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CHLI2>
This site was very helpful in my research in defining the physical and functional characteristics of the Escobilla. There was not as much information on this page as there was on the other two pages for the Flor de Mimbre and the Texas Madrone. Though information was a bit sparse, it was sufficient to explain the trees qualities and appearance.
I enjoyed the tidbit of information given about the man, Josiah Gregg, who was obviously a rather dedicated man to his work. It is heart-warming to think that the American Botanical Society would respond on a personal level to his efforts in obtaining specimens to send to a botanist for study.
Native Arizonan Trees
Arizona Madrone: Latin name: Arbutus arizonica. The Arizona Madrone is classified as a tree and as a shrub. It is mainly located in the southern part of Arizona, amidst the foothills, and in New Mexico and Northern Mexico. Because of the brittle, dense qualities of the Arizona Madrone, it is useful for making gunpowder and charcoal. The Arizona Madrone produces fruit, a berry that possesses narcotic qualities.
The Arizona Madrone is an evergreen tree that can reach up to 50 feet tall. Its leaves are wide, oval-shaped and thick, with a rubbery texture. It grows mainly in canyons, low slopes and mountain sides where the ground is well-drained. The blooms for the Arizona Madrone appear in Spring. The berries that are produced by the tree are a fiery red and orange combination of colors, holding many seeds. The bark of the tree is very thin and smooth and peels back in layers.
Alligator Juniper: also known as Checker-Bark Juniper, because of the square-shaped pattern of the bark of the tree. Latin Name: Juniperus deppeana. The Alligator Juniper usually grows around other species of the juniper tree and in sparse patches. Because of the scarcity of the Alligator Juniper, it is not considered a tree to be used for veneer. It can be used, however, for making pulp and wood chips. The smell of the Alligator Juniper is agreeable and the wood is sometimes used to make innovative trinkets, but not in mass quantities.
The fruit of the Alligator Juniper endures for long periods of time, creating a lasting source of nourishment for wildlife. Seed dispersal occurs through the birds and the mammals that each the berry-like fruit of the tree. A single berry has been estimated to have 315 calories. In Native American culture, the berry was used in a number of diverse recipes for food, medicine and tea, as well as incense.
Apache Pine: also known as the Arizona Longleaf Pine and Pino Real.
Latin Name: Pinus engelmannii.
The Apache Pine is a member of the Pine family and grows only in the Chiricahua, Huachuca, Dragoon, and Santa Rita mountains in Arizona, in Mexico and in an area in New Mexico. It is typically associated with the Sierra Madre. Because of its scarcity, the Apache Pine is not generally considered useful commercially. It is cut down sometimes and used for lumber because of its strength and density. It is also used by locals as firewood and fuel. The seeds produced by the Apache Pine are consumed by birds, rodents and other animals as a food source. The Mexican Spotted Owl resides in areas where the Apache Pine is generally located.
The Apache Pine ranges in height from 50 to 82 feet, and in width from 14 to 32 inches in diameter. Because it is a pine, it produces evergreen needles as leaves, which grow up to 15 inches long. The Apache Pine lives in partially dry to partially humid climates and is located usually on canyon slopes, mesas, ridges, lower slopes and valleys.
10. Pavek, Diane S. 1993. Arbutus arizonica. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online].
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer).
Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [2011, November 15].
This informational data site provided me with a plethora of straight-forward facts and descriptions of the Arizona Madrone, including data about its distribution, botanical characteristics, and ecological characteristics. There were no pictures on the site, which would have been very useful for me to be able to visualize and better understand what I am trying to describe.
The organization of the site was very efficient. Because it is a government site, it was a little dry. There were not many details that explained or elaborated on the conclusions reached by the research done and the implications of why the trees “behaved” in such a way. I found the references at the bottom reassuring because I can know that the information I am putting into my blog is accurate to the utmost degree.
11. Tirmenstein, D. 1999. Juniperus deppeana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [2011, November 15].
This webpage was helpful in aiding my gathering of information about native Arizonan trees. There was a little more detail than the above mentioned website present, including information regarding the use of the fruit by Native Americans and historical uses of the Alligator Juniper. The page also includes information about the nutritious value of the fruit produced by the tree.
I would like to have seen a picture or two, yet again; however it is a government site, therefore it will be cut-and-dry. I was intrigued by the fact that each cone-berry has 315 calories, approximately. The invasion of the Juniper tree and the inability to cease this encroachment is a cool testimony to the function of the Alligator Juniper and how it is resilient.
12. Pavek, Diane S. 1994. Pinus engelmannii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online].
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer).
Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [2011, November 15].
This data page was useful to gather general information about the Apache Pine. Again, there was no photograph to represent the tree visually, but the description of the physical attributes of the tree was clear and understandable. The specificity of the locations of where the tree grows was interesting. Some of the scientific terms were confusing and had to be investigated.
I liked reading about the different places that the Apache Pine grows. It is a picky tree. Compared with most other pines, it would appear to be normal, minus this one aspect. Its height is incredible and completely out of proportion with its width. It is interesting to know that the Apache Pine is scarce, but that the locals use it for fuel.
Alaska’s Native Trees
Western Hemlock: Latin Name: Tsuga heterophylla. The Western Hemlock ranges in height from 100 to 200 feet tall, with a narrow crown, meaning that it has a slender shape. The branches of this tree appear to hang down, creating a dilapidated appearance. The leaves are similar to pine needles, but are flat, soft and uneven. The tops of the leaves range in color from yellow to deep green and the bottoms are whitish. The Western Hemlock produces cones similar to those of the pine tree, with a red-green color that matures into a brown. The bark of the Western Hemlock is deep brown and develops deep furrows with maturity. The Western Hemlock is easily threatened by heavy winds and fires because of its lack of a deep root system. The trunk of the Western Hemlock has been used to make eating utensils, bowls and combs. Because of its even grain, the Western Hemlock is good for doors, windows and other wood products. The bark is also useful for tanning hides because of its richness and can also be used to make red dye. In Southeast Alaska, the leaves of the Western Hemlock are used to catch Herring eggs during the springtime.
Sitka Spruce: Latin name: Picea sitchensis. The Sitka Spruce ranges in height from 120 to 180 feet and in width from 3 to 5 feet in diameter. The leaves of the tree are four-sided, pine-like needles, flattened on one side and running in spirals down the twigs of the tree. The tree has seed-cones that resemble that of the pine tree, but are redder in color. The teeth of the cones are waif-like and unevenly spaced. The bark of the tree is thin and scaly. The Sitka Spruce is located along the West Coast of North America, reaching the farthest north at Kodiak, Alaska. The lifespan of the Sitka Spruce is unfathomable-some are estimated to be up to and beyond 700 years of age! The Sitka Spruce is very useful for musical instruments because it is strong and light, and it is generally free of knots, which makes the wood good for conducting sound. The wood can be used to make guitars, violins and pianos, as well as homemade airplanes because of its unique qualities. The Sitka Spruce grows incredibly fast, up to 4 feet a year, even in bad soils. The fresh new tips of the branches can be trimmed off and boiled to make syrup, or used to flavor spruce beer. The bark located on the roots of the Sitka Spruce is used by Native Alaskans to weave baskets and hats. Sometimes native peoples would eat the inner bark of the tree, which purportedly acted as a laxative.
13. “Alaska Trees. Alaska Trees and Descriptions.” Alaskatrekker.com. Copyright 2005-2011. Web. 14 Nov 2011. <http://alaskatrekker.com/trees.htm>
This webpage is helpful in informing of a small sample of trees that are native to the Alaska region. There are four trees described with sparse detail with pictures that show the physical appearance of these trees. The webpage gives the Latin name of each tree and explains the location and other defining characteristics of each tree.
I enjoy the pictures that the publisher included. Trees are often very difficult to picture when described in word; therefore, pictures are the best medium for describing the physical traits of a tree. I also find the connection with the indigenous people and the trees fascinating. Their many uses of the trees are creative.
14. “Western Hemlock.” British Columbia. Copyright 2011, Province of British Columbia. Web. 14 Nov 2011. <http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/documents/treebook/westernhemlock.htm>
This webpage discusses the defining physical traits of the Western Hemlock tree, where the tree grows and what its natural habitat is, and the various uses of the tree. The information regarding the appearance of the tree was most helpful, and the pictures included were also useful. The many different uses of the tree listed in the webpage reveal much about the people that use it.
The most interesting part about the information that is given is the information concerning the height and diameter. This tree is gigantic! And the uses for the tree are diverse. None is quite as odd as scraping away the inner bark of the tree and baking it into a cake. I wonder what this would taste like, or what the consistency would be.
15. “Sitka Spruce.” British Columbia. Copyright 2011, Province of British Columbia. Web. 14 Nov 2011. <http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/documents/treebook/sitkaspruce.htm>
This webpage discusses the height, diameter, leaves, cones and other physical traits of the Sitka Spruce tree. It also is informative of the habitat in which the Sitka Spruce in usually found and the location of the majority of the Sitka Spruce in the world. It also includes the uses that the Sitka Spruce came in handy for with the native peoples.
The use of the inner bark of the tree as a laxative sounds relatively painful to me. I am curious to know now whether my guitar was made from a Sitka Spruce tree, after learning of the acoustical properties of the Sitka Spruce. The cones of the tree are intriguing because I have never seen any other cone than that of a pine tree. The peculiar coloring of the cone is awe-inspiring.
Colorado’s Trees
Colorado Blue Spruce: Latin name: Picea pungens glauca. The Colorado state tree, the Blue Spruce, reaches a height of 40 to 80 feet on average, but can grow to be as tall as 150 feet, depending on the circumstances. The Colorado Blue Spruce can be planted most anywhere in America and is the slowest grower in the Spruce family. The appearance of the tree changes based on the amount of wax coating its needles: if there is more wax, such as in the Spring when the needles are growing in again, then the tree appears to be bluer, and as the year goes on the wax wears off and the tree appears to be a deeper green. The needles are generally about a half an inch to an inch long and are extremely sharp and its branches grow in a horizontal direction. The cones of the Blue Spruce are similar to that of the Sitka Spruce: waif-like and wavy. The Blue Spruce does well in the winter times because of the solidarity and strength of its branches. This also makes it a prime target for being a Christmas tree. The Blue Spruce is seen from Wyoming to Idaho and down into New Mexico and Arizona. The tree grows best in rich soils, though it can adapt, and in full sunlight.
Narrowleaf Cottonwood: Also known as Bitter Cottonwood, Willow Cottonwood, Willow-Leaf Cottonwood, Mountain Cottonwood, Rydberg Cottonwood and Smooth-Bark Cottonwood. Latin Name: Populus angustifolia. The Narrowleaf Cottonwood grows to be between 15 and 20 meters tall and is a member of the Willow family. It grows rapidly but does not live too long. Its branches grow in a vertical direction, which means that the tree looks slender, and it grows best near water. It is generally found in the foothills of Colorado, but can also be found in the southern parts of Canada, on down to the Northern part of Mexico. It grows along streams and in the desert, even in the coniferous forests and it turns a yellow color in the fall. The leaves of the tree are, as the name states, narrow and pointed. The tree blooms in May and produces fruits within the timespan of about a month. Narrowleaf Cottonwood trees don’t begin to flower until they reach 15 years of age and the male and female counterparts need to be grown near each other in order to produce seeds. The tree can also reproduce from its roots and stumps as sprouts.
16. Pat, Frankie, Molly and Maggie Hanlon. “Colorado Blue Spruce.” Porcupine Hollow Farm. Web. 15 Nov 2011. < http://www.porkyfarm.com/bluespruce.asp>
This webpage is especially credible in my eyes because the information is coming from someone who works around and with trees and therefore knows firsthand what the tree’s characteristics are and what environment it grows best in. The location of the tree and the different advice given about it reveals the make-up of the Colorado Blue Spruce.
It is interesting to compare the Sitka Spruce with the Colorado Spruce. The Colorado Spruce grows very slowly and is located more inland than the Sitka. It also has similar physical traits, such as height, and cone-coloration. I’m thinking that the many different kinds of trees are perhaps innumerable because of all the minute variation within even one family of trees.
17. Nesom, Guy. Henson, James. “Narrowleaf Cottonwood.” Plant Guide. USDA, NRCS. Edited 13 Nov 2000. Web. 15 Nov 2011. <http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_poan3.pdf>
The credibility of this source is nearly unquestionable because of the specific format that the paper is in and the names of the organizations that are located on the article. The article discusses the physical traits of the Narrowleaf Cottonwood, its distribution, uses, location, adaptation, and includes some history about Lewis and Clarke in regards to the tree.
I find it frustrating that this website has only one photograph of a Narrowleaf Cottonwood tree and it is only a detail photo. I would like to be able to see the whole of the tree because I do not understand some of the terms used to describe the physical characteristics of the tree.
18. “Native Trees for Colorado Landscapes.” Colorado State University Extension. Copyright 2011 Colorado State University Extension. Updates 29 Aug 2011. Web. 15 Nov 2011. <http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07421.html>
The credibility of this source is also high because of the name of the university that is tagged along to it. University research and publications are usually up-to-date and accurate. I learned the scientific name for the trees that I researched and a general description of their location and attributes. I also found the organization of the website to be helpful.
When I began hunting for trees that were native to the Colorado region I stumbled upon this website and was instantly content with it because of the organization of the information and the abundance of it. I was able to read through a brief summary of the trees and choose which ones I wanted to research without having to be bombarded by too much information.
