#NewThisDay Writing From My Photo Stream
Silky Dogwood by the Charles River
“Silky dogwood is a large shrub, often 6-10
feet in height. The growth habit is upright rounded, but where stems are in contact with the ground, roots are formed. This behavior creates thickets. Young dogwoods have bright red stems in the fall, winter and early spring, which turn reddish-brown in the summer. ”
An Instagram friend saw this picture on my feed just after I took it by the Charles River on my morning walk - asked if it is pokeberry. It's not. We have this little strip of grass, surrounded by thicket, where we launch our kayaks and canoe that floods when the river's high. It's currently muddy, but dry enough for me to get to the river's edge and appreciate the beautiful life of this thicket - on the left, all this silky dogwood thriving with silvery blue berries; on my right, grapevine and buttonbush. I'm exceptionally grateful for this dogwood - it has such an admirable beauty to offer in all four seasons, as well as acting as a natural windbreak and source of food and shelter for the wildlife of the river's edge.
Owl Feather, By The Charles River
Branch sample of my mystery tree sapling collected today
I'm still trying to identify my mystery tree, so I broke off a branch and carried it home. There's more I have to learn in order to find this one's name. My branch is full of clues. To be continued...
All photos and text copyright Kelly DuMar 2017 unless otherwise attributed