Tag: Trees

Climate, Ecology, Environment, Sustainable Living

Spotlight on Green Columbus!

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Green Columbus is a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization based in Central Ohio that focuses on sustainability, community engagement, and environmental resilience.  Its core activities and initiatives include tree planting & care, tree canopy expansion, community forums, and environmental action. Every year, Green Columbus celebrates Earth Month by bringing volunteers together to make a difference in Central Ohio’s environment.  It facilitates service sites across the region, each hosted and led by volunteers.  After a month filled with tree plantings, litter cleanups, mulch distribution, and community gardening, we wrap up with the Earth Day Columbus Celebration.  This free, family-friendly, zero-waste event offers fun activities and opportunities to learn more about and support a greener Central Ohio community.  The event will be held this year at the Scioto Audubon MetroPark on Sunday, April 26.

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Eastern Redbud
Tree of the Month

It’s the April Tree of the Month!

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Eastern Redbud, Judas Tree Cercis canadensis by Martin (Mort) Schmidt Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis, hereafter, simply “Redbud”) is a much-loved ornamental tree, especially in spring, when its lavender flowers are in bloom. But its similarity to an Asian and European redbud, Cercis siliquastrum, lends it a much darker association.  Leaves Redbud […]

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American Sycamore
Ecology, Environment, Tree of the Month

It’s the Tree of the Month for January 2025!

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American Sycamore, American Planetree, Buttonwood Platanus occidentalis American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis, hereafter, simply Sycamore) is one of our most beautiful and recognizable trees. In girth, it’s North America’s largest deciduous tree, and according to some sources, has the largest simple leaf. Its mottled white, tan, and brown bark is especially striking in […]

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Northern Catalpa Tree
Ecology, Uncategorized

Tree of the Month, October 2024

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Northern Catalpa, Cigar Tree (Catalpa speciosa) by Martin (Mort) Schmidt for Simply Living Northern Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa herein, simply “Catalpa”), is one of our most distinctive trees. Catalpa has one of the largest simple leaves of any American tree, and its long cigar-like seed pods make it easily recognizable throughout the […]

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Ecology, Uncategorized

Tree of the Month, August 2024

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Quercus macrocarpa Bur Oak, Burr Oak, Mossycup Oak by Martin (Mort) Schmidt for Simply Living While traveling through Missouri recently, I stopped to pay homage to the magnificent “Big Tree”, by some accounts, tied for the country’s Champion Bur Oak. I was not disappointed. This impressive tree was hundreds of […]

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Ecology, Uncategorized

Tree of the Month, April 2024

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Common Pawpaw, Custard Apple, Prairie Banana Asimina triloba by Martin (Mort) Schmidt for Simply Living Pawpaw is the little tree with big leaves and fruit. In fact, Pawpaw has the largest edible fruit of Ohio’s native trees, even though it’s a small understory tree, often growing up from runners in […]

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Ecology, Uncategorized

Tree of the Month, March 2024

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Shingle Oak Quercus imbricaria by Martin (Mort) Schmidt for Simply Living Many people assume that all oak leaves have conspicuous lobes, but some don’t. Shingle Oaks, which are native to Ohio, have leaves that look more like magnolia. But like all oaks, Shingle Oaks have acorns. Leaf shape is useful […]

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Ecology, Uncategorized

Native Plant Sale

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The Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District is holding their annual plant sale. I’ve planted over 100 trees from this source over the years and nearly all of them have thrived. Most of the trees are sold as bare-root saplings, which consist essentially of twigs with roots, packaged in bundles […]

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Ecology, Sustainable Living

Favorite Tree Websites

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by Martin (Mort) Schmidt for Simply Living Photo by Mort Schmidt I’m often asked about my favorite tree books and websites. I have a good many favorites, so this month I’ll discuss my favorite tree websites and some later month I’ll discuss my favorite tree books. I’m old school – when […]

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Ecology, Uncategorized

Tree of the Month, January 2023

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Baldcypress, Swamp Cypress (Taxodium distichum) by Martin (Mort) Schmidt for Simply Living Not all conifers are evergreens. We often use the terms interchangeably, but in fact some conifers lose their needles in winter, while some broadleaf trees, such as American Holly (Ilex opaca), keep their leaves in winter. As discussed […]

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Ecology

August 2022 Tree of the Month – Common Hopwood, Wafer Ash Ptelea Trifoliata By Martin (Mort) Schmidt for Simply Living

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This small tree is the New World’s northernmost member of the Rue (citrus) family. Once widely used for medicine, it’s too small for lumber and is useful only to wildlife and landscapers. But it’s very distinctive and interesting. The Common Hoptree’s compound leaves have alternately-arranged leaves with three leaflets, hence […]

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