News from the preserves, parks and backyards of Princeton, NJ. The website aims to acquaint Princetonians with our shared natural heritage and the benefits of restoring native diversity and beauty to the many preserved lands in and around Princeton.
In fall, the local woods become a color-coded forest, making it easy to tell at a glance what species are growing where. Trying to take at least some advantage of this, I headed out in a car to survey where Asian photinia has invaded our nature preserves. The combination of its yellowish orange color and customary growth form aid in identification from the road.
Here's a new invasion getting going up on Mt. Lucas.
Once Photinia has lost its leaves, the honeysuckles are still green, revealing just how extensive is their invasion of the woods. That they hold their leaves long after native woody plants have dropped theirs suggests that the exotic honeysuckles evolved in a climate with a longer growing season.
I've been wondering why I feel cross driving alongside woods still holding chartreuse and yellow and plain old green at this time of year.
Now I know, as with the change in summer's palette, from blue, white and yellow in childhood, to magenta thanks to 'purple' loosestife, some inner sense knows that color in December is not only wrong, but also destructive to our native species, even our hardwoods.
In fall, the local woods become a color-coded forest, making it easy to tell at a glance what species are growing where. Trying to take at least some advantage of this, I headed out in a car to survey where Asian photinia has invaded our nature preserves. The combination of its yellowish orange color and customary growth form aid in identification from the road.
Here's a new invasion getting going up on Mt. Lucas.
Once Photinia has lost its leaves, the honeysuckles are still green, revealing just how extensive is their invasion of the woods. That they hold their leaves long after native woody plants have dropped theirs suggests that the exotic honeysuckles evolved in a climate with a longer growing season.
Steve, you do such a grand job of educating us!
ReplyDeleteI've been wondering why I feel cross driving alongside woods still holding chartreuse and yellow and plain old green at this time of year.
Now I know, as with the change in summer's palette, from blue, white and yellow in childhood, to magenta thanks to 'purple' loosestife, some inner sense knows that color in December is not only wrong, but also destructive to our native species, even our hardwoods.
Thank you.
Carolyn Foote Edelmann
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