Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovate) has a unique, shaggy bark which gives this species its name. Its jagged overall structure and thick twigs give this tree a striking appearance in winter. This deciduous shade tree has deep green leaves in summer and a yellow fall color. It is a slow-growing long-lived tree. The wood also makes excellent firewood, and often is used in smoking meat. As with other edible nuts, squirrels compete with humans for this fruit. It grows well in both wet and dry areas, but prefers well-drained soils.
Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is wonderful specimen tree grown for its star shaped lustrous dark green foliage which turns a spectacular fall color, often a combination of green, yellow, orange, red and purple foliage, but sometimes solid crimson, burgundy or scarlet. It has an upright pyramidal growth habit in its youth and then becomes spreading, irregular and open as it ages. It prefers full sun and can grow to 60 feet high and 40 feet wide. Birds like the seeds it produces. The bark has a corky appearance.
Black Cherry (Prunus serotina), also known as a wild cherry, is one of the largest of the cherries, typically growing to 50-80’ tall with a narrow-columnar to rounded crown. This deciduous tree is most prized for its profuse spring bloom. Their fragrant white flowers in slender pendulous clusters appear with the spring foliage. The flowers are followed by drooping clusters of small red cherries that ripen in late summer. Black Cherry trees produce fruit that are bitter and inedible fresh off the tree, but the fruit can be used to make jams and jellies. In autumn, its glossy green leaves turns to attractive shades of yellow and rose. Mature trees develop dark scaly bark. Its native to eastern North America, Mexico and Central America and can be found in woodlands and along streams.
Chestnut Oak (Quercus prinus) is long-lived and slow-growing deciduous tree. The characteristic bark is dark and very rough. The tree grows on dry, rocky ridges and slopes. The acorns are an important source of food for various forms of wildlife. The acorns are large, but do not appear until the tree is around 20 years old. The leaf undersides are medium green, rather than white. Autumn color is chartreuse to yellow-brown, but the canopy is cleaned of leaves by late autumn. Chestnut Oak is amazingly free of major pest and disease problems, a testament to superior genetics in all aspects of its growth cycle.
Carpathian Black Walnut (Juglans nigra, ‘Carpathian’) is an excellent hardy shady tree and can be planted as a nut bearing landscape tree. This deciduous tree bears nuts that are thin-shelled and easy to open. The tree’s crown is rounded, spreading and open. The best growth and nut production comes when it is placed in deep, dry, light loamy soils. Carpathian Black Walnut trees are self-pollinating but they will normally do better with another neighboring Black Walnut.
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