January 6, 2007
Whole Tree Identification
A Friends of Fresh Pond Reservation Program
When trees are allowed to grow without interference, disease or injuries, they often develop into the classic shape for that species. There are a number of these so-called "specimen trees" on the golf course. Participants during this walk discussed the characteristics that made a tree recognizable; in this instance a young Pin Oak (Quercus palustrus.) Oaks often retain their leaves through the winter, and pin oaks uniquely display a triangular shape with upper branches that point upward, mid-level branches that point outward, and lower branches that point downward.