Who doesn't love talking about the weather, particularly us plant-sensitive types, so I'm kicking off the Weather 2011 thread ;)
With a gentle 2"-3" (5-7.5 cm) topping of fresh snow, I waded out in waist-deep snow to snap a few photos. The new snow was the sticky type, beautifully serving to trace tree and shrub branching. Here are some of my favorite woodies:
Magnolia 'Golden Gift' - one of the few truly compact small Magnolia treasures, aptly named when spring display of small golden flowers rolls around. It has short leaf and bud internodes, creating a finely branched canopy compared to most magnolias.
The Sourwood Tree, Oxydendrum arboreum. Note that the persistent weeping panicles of seed capsules near the top of the tree.
Hibiscus syriacus 'Aphrodite' with "snow bobs" sitting on top of open star-shaped seed capsules.
Katsura Tree, Cercidiphyllum japonicum, a 20 year old tree in fine tracery.
Acer griseum growing near my deck, approximately 16 years old
Fringe Tree, Chionanthus virginicus, about 12 years old. The snow tracery shows to good effect the results of experimental pruning on this unwieldy grower. A favorite tree of mine, it does have the bad habit of long rangy growth without good branching and bud internodes. However, taking the pruners to the tree and boldly cutting branches where no leaf internodes are visible, will result in new growth points and finer branching... it is now becoming a handsome specimen.
