Still learning the trees

Back when we first purchased property on this land south of Chapel Hill, I wrote a post about learning to identify the species of trees in the forest. Since then, I’ve used my Wan Smol Blog here on Micro.blog to document the trees, wildflowers, and animals I’ve encountered on my many walks through the woods.

The pocket manual from the NC Forest Service that I mentioned in that post is still a useful resource, and I also often use the Seek app by iNaturalist to identify the various vines and saplings I don’t yet recognize. From the sitting porch off our bedroom I can see a purple passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) growing amid the Virginia creeper, wild grape, and other wild vines.

On my lunch break today, I wandered outside past where a landscaping crew is making a backyard courtyard. Standing beneath a towering oak, I noticed the leaves of a smaller tree and realized I didn’t know this one: Carpinus caroliniana Walt., known as hornbeam, ironwood, blue beech, or musclewood. I looked around and saw another, and then another, and a few more. I’ve walked past these hornbeam so many times and never known them. I’m less tree blind today.

Meanwhile, yesterday I was walking on my woodchip path up to the old house and I noticed another unfamiliar tree, also in the shade of a taller oak. This one had clusters of small fruit: Prunus serotina Ehrh., black cherry.

There must be other species out there waiting for my acquaintance.