learn to identify trees

In lieu of going hiking, I read the section in my Texas Trees book over Pecans, Maples, and Hickories. The Family name is Juglandaceae (jug-land-ACE-see-ay), and I think the Shagbark Hickory is the kind I saw when driving to Lake Caddo on the Texas-Louisiana border last year; they grow along the roadside, are very tall, and have a multi-storied look to them.

I will have to remember to look for these in the fall, when the nuts are falling, so I can get a good ID on some local trees to learn the different species.

On my hike, I found an old, abandoned road that had trees growing up through it. That’s where I found the Box Elder, which looks like poison ivy but isn’t. On my way back, I came across a scorpion and barely got a shot of it. Eeek!

I started with maples and realized that it might be easiest to find the Ashleaf Maple, also known as Box Elder, scientific name Acer negundo. In the end, I found a couple growing alongside and poking up through an abandoned road. Shrubby shoots often look like poison ivy, but the leaves of the box elder are opposite rather than alternate.

If I go back to the same spot in late September, I should be able to find the seeds – they have the cool wing attached and thus twirl when they fall – those are called ‘samaras’.

It was so hot, so I chose to wear my Tevas rather than my new mud boots, but on my way back to my truck, I saw a scorpion in the road. It was probably an inch and a half long (when uncurled) and thus would probably hurt like the dickens and make me a bit sick. I left the little thing alone, happily, and felt grateful that the grasshoppers hopped and the scorpions scurried and not the other way around.

I guess I’ll don my new muck boots and go hiking around by the lake. I’ll take both tree ID books and maybe even a sketchbook.

I want to be able to pick out maples, so I’ll be looking for those.

I’ve begun this already – oaks are easy (but don’t know the varieties), and we’ve got some great Eve’s Necklace down here. I can pick out water locust when the pods are on, too. Desert Willow is pretty identifiable.

It will just take time and consistency on my part, to always take the book with me when I’m going to be out hiking.