Decidious Conifers.

[junquecol]

When you were in school the science teacher probably told you there were two types of trees. Decidious, meaning they loose their leaves in the winter and conifers, who have needles, which they don't loose in the winter. If you are going to the State Fair, check out the native plant garden in the flower show area. Next to the fence on the shelter side of the garden is a decidious conifer. It is the first tree next to the driveway. Oh yeah, be sure and look at the mums. This is something that I also do- raise mums for State Fair. In handicrafts and hobbies, check out woodworking items also. Conifer- means, bears it seeds in cones.

[DaveO]

That would most likely be a Bald Cypress - Taxodium distichum. All conifers lose their needles, but just not all at the same time. Hence Pine Straw mulch
Bald Cypress

Dave

[jeff...]

Originally Posted by DaveO

That would most likely be a Bald Cypress - Taxodium distichum. All conifers lose their needles, but just not all at the same time. Hence Pine Straw mulch
Bald Cypress

Dave

Yeah and clog up the air vents on my truck

[Howard Acheson]

Iwas told that rule but I was also told that there were exceptions.

From something I picked up with Google:

"Hardwoods are tree species in the angiosperm group (the flowering plants, that produce seeds enclosed in a fruit). Hardwood trees are characterized by broad leaves (as opposed to needles) and are usually deciduous, although in the Southeast there are numerous evergreen hardwoods including live oak, holly, and magnolia."

[DaveO]

Yep, that is very correct. Just to add to the botany lesson. There a basically two types of plants Angiosperms and Gymnosperms. Angiosperms produce their seed in fruits, and Gymnosperms produce their seed in cones. Gymnosperms consist of the Conifers and a few select anomalies like the Maidenhair Tree - Ginkgo biloba (which is also the only plant in it's Family and Genus and has remained essentially unchanged since Prehistoric times). And the majority of the rest of the plants are Angiosperms. With in the Angiosperms there is another classification: Monocotyledon or Dicotyledon. The broad-leaf plants are Dicot. and the grasses are Monocot. What that really identifies is the number of cotyledons that the seed has. Dicots. have 2 (like when a bean first sprouts you see both halves) and Monocots. have 1. This is also why selective herbicides can be used to kill only broad-leaf or grassy weeds ie. 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyactetic Acid (Weed-b-Gone/ 2,4-D) for broad-leaf and Fluazifop (Grass-b-Gone/Fusillade) for grassy plants.
Just FIY


Dave

[Howard Acheson]

Originally Posted by DaveO

Yep, that is very correct. Just to add to the botany lesson. There a basically two types of plants Angiosperms and Gymnosperms. Angiosperms produce their seed in fruits, and Gymnosperms produce their seed in cones. Gymnosperms consist of the Conifers and a few select anomalies like the Maidenhair Tree - Ginkgo biloba (which is also the only plant in it's Family and Genus and has remained essentially unchanged since Prehistoric times). And the majority of the rest of the plants are Angiosperms. With in the Angiosperms there is another classification: Monocotyledon or Dicotyledon. The broad-leaf plants are Dicot. and the grasses are Monocot. What that really identifies is the number of cotyledons that the seed has. Dicots. have 2 (like when a bean first sprouts you see both halves) and Monocots. have 1. This is also why selective herbicides can be used to kill only broad-leaf or grassy weeds ie. 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyactetic Acid (Weed-b-Gone/ 2,4-D) for broad-leaf and Fluazifop (Grass-b-Gone/Fusillade) for grassy plants.
Just FIY


Dave

Now, what was the question?

[jmauldin]

Hey,
Get a carport and you won't have to worry about either kind. If they fall in the yard, I let them stay there. It is against my "religion" to rake leaves.
Jim in Mayberry

[junquecol]

Originally Posted by DaveO

That would most likely be a Bald Cypress - Taxodium distichum. All conifers lose their needles, but just not all at the same time. Hence Pine Straw mulch
Bald Cypress

Dave

Good answer, but NO CANDY BAR this time. It doesn't have needles, but LEAVES. You have probably seen thousands of them, especially if you like to fish. Conifer- bears it's seeds in CONES. This is one of the earliest blooming trees in NC, along with the red maple. And we wood workers thought we knew about trees. Ask a beekeeper, as they probably know the answer, as this is one of the early pollen sources.

[DaveO]

Wow, Bruce you've given me a workout on this one. You want to see a persistent person, give me a plant question I can't answer.
Based on your clues, I am going to go with Alder - Alnus sp. It is an early source of pollen for bees, grows in riparian environments, and has leaves. But I am confused about it's relation to cones and conifers

Dave

[Ray Martin]

Originally Posted by DaveO

Yep, that is very correct. Just to add to the botany lesson. There a basically two types of plants Angiosperms and Gymnosperms. Angiosperms produce their seed in fruits, and Gymnosperms produce their seed in cones. Gymnosperms consist of the Conifers and a few select anomalies like the Maidenhair Tree - Ginkgo biloba (which is also the only plant in it's Family and Genus and has remained essentially unchanged since Prehistoric times). And the majority of the rest of the plants are Angiosperms. With in the Angiosperms there is another classification: Monocotyledon or Dicotyledon. The broad-leaf plants are Dicot. and the grasses are Monocot. What that really identifies is the number of cotyledons that the seed has. Dicots. have 2 (like when a bean first sprouts you see both halves) and Monocots. have 1. This is also why selective herbicides can be used to kill only broad-leaf or grassy weeds ie. 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyactetic Acid (Weed-b-Gone/ 2,4-D) for broad-leaf and Fluazifop (Grass-b-Gone/Fusillade) for grassy plants.
Just FIY


Dave

Dave,

Terrific lesson in Botany. Thank you. Isn't that Ginkgo Baloba the stuff that's supposed to improve memory?

Ray

[DaveO]

Originally Posted by Ray Martin

Dave,

Terrific lesson in Botany. Thank you. Isn't that Ginkgo Baloba the stuff that's supposed to improve memory?

Ray

I can't remember

Dave

[junquecol]

Originally Posted by DaveO

Wow, Bruce you've given me a workout on this one. You want to see a persistent person, give me a plant question I can't answer.
Based on your clues, I am going to go with Alder - Alnus sp. It is an early source of pollen for bees, grows in riparian environments, and has leaves. But I am confused about it's relation to cones and conifers

Dave

Bing, Bing, a winner! Common tag alder that grows around ponds. It bears it's seeds in CONES. Therefore it is a conifer, even though it has leaves that it sheds. I was confused the first time a botany prof. from over at state said it was a conifer. Some basically useless knowledge from a former life as a beekeeper.

[DaveO]

What do I win???? But I respectfully disagree that Tag Alder also know as Hazel Alder - Alnus serrulata is a conifer. I can see how it can be easily mistaken for one.
But technically it is taxonomically classified in the division Magnoliophyta, which is the angiosperm or flowering plant division and in the Betulaceae or Birch family making it not a conifer.
Thank- you for the research challenge, I haven't had such a good brain work-out since my Masters closing interview. I got to know my professors very well and they liked to see me squirm.

Wow, that was my 5000 post, and it had nothing to do with woodworking at all
Dave

[junquecol]

Dave, remember that all rules have exceptions. Remember the spelling rule- "I" before "E", except when after "C". Spell science - what rule ? Be sure to go to the fair and check out the woodworking entries in the handicraft and hobbies section. Some are great, and some are so-so. But it is what the judges like that counts.