A Tree Trunk - Identifying It Through Color And Texture
The trunk is a fascinating part of any tree. There
are many different sizes, shapes, colors, and
textures.
Learning to identify some basic trees
is a great educational lesson for a classroom, home
activity, or any organization. Teaching others as well
as yourself about a natural habitat allows everyone
to become in tune with the environment. This is
also a great lesson in understanding different plant
families and what is growing in your geographic
area.
There are a variety of different options you have
to incorporate this topic into a lesson plan, a field
study, an organizational project, or a great family
outing into nature. Any age group can identify
trees and there are a number of different ways
you can accomplish this.
Many younger children learn through their senses of sight and touch.
Actually seeing the different tree trunks and
allowing the children to touch each specie
will give them a real sense of each individual
plant. Take pictures and have the children write
papers on certain trees. Divide the students up into
groups and have each group pick a particular tree
and do reports so the entire class can learn
about the different specimens. If your area
doesn't have a large selection of trees,
pick one specific tree trunk, or the gallery of plants section
may help you with some other plant species to use.
Non - profit organizations can do this type of
identification project to increase the awareness
of the different trees in your area. This is also
a great way to see about any possible endangered
species. Consider planting a few more of some popular
trees in your region and make this a community project.
The first three are very popular trees throughout
different regions. The Maple has many varieties
and is known for its brown color tones as well
as ridges in the trunk. Of course the Maple is
also famous for tapping the tree and making
delicious Maple syrup. The vibrant colored
leaves in the fall puts the Maple in a class of its own.
The Oak features black and brown tones . The
Live Oak, White, Red and Willow are just a few
varieties. Oaks are slow growers but they are also
a great tree to observe the changes of the colors
in the bark through its maturity. The Dogwood produces
a mass of white or pink blossoms in the springtime.
The trunk has gray, black and brown tones.
Horticultural students as well as Biology students can
study the different varieties and learn new ways of
identifying the specimens or research their changes
and growth patterns. There are so many different
options to do when learning about trees and their trunks.
Many families have trees planted around their home,
apartment, community center or neighborhood. Take
the time to go around and learn about the different
specimens in your area.
I am fascinated with each tree trunk having its own
features. Some have many color tones
and some have smooth or rough surfaces. Below are
ten different trees that grow in a variety of different
regions. Each photo of trees on this page shows you , close ups
of their trunks so you could see the how the appearance
of each one is distinctive.
The
Crepe Myrtle is especially popular in the southern
United States. There are many different varieties and
also a range of colored flowers. The Crepe Myrtle can have
multi trunks and its bark is eye catching with its smooth
texture. This tree is full of blossoms in the summer
through the early fall.
The Eucalyptus tree
is famous in Australia, but will also grow
in many different regions. The bark is
somewhat smooth and there is actually
a tint of red in the bark.
The
Cryptomeria
represents two tones of brown and also
has a distinct pattern running throughout
the entire trunk. The Cryptomeria is a great
evergreen and privacy tree. The
Carolina Sapphire or Arizona Cypress has a smooth
surface once the bark falls off.
Notice in this photo there is some sap on the tree. The Pine is
one of the most well known trees trees throughout
the globe. The Pine is one of the most well known trees trees throughout
the globe. The
Pine is notorious for producing sap
and is considered a soft wood. The bark of the tree
is rough and has black and brown color tones.
The pine is noted for its needles and providing us
with an option of using
pine straw, mulch or decorative stones
to complete a landscape project. The
Sweetgum
has a distinct bark as it resembles puzzle pieces
and seems to be in a set pattern. The two tone
brown allows this tree to blend in with other species.
The Sweetgum has its drawback with the gum balls
that drop off during the fall and winter months. These
gum balls can be a nuisance to walk on. The final tree
is one of the first to bloom in the springtime.
The
Bradford Pear has gray, black and even a hint of blue in the trunk.
This is a tall tree and also has a large mass of gorgeous
white flowers lasting a couple of weeks. The drawback of
the tree in the southern United States is when an ice storm
occurs, the Bradford Pear branches become bogged down
with ice and they tend to snap easily. I always recommend
to client not to plant the Bradford too close to their home. The
Cleveland Pear
is a stronger variety.
Identifying different trees is a great activity
to teach everyone about a specific tree or groups of
trees that grow in your environment. Take the time
to plan a field trip or do a special project to enhance
not only the education of plant specimens, but to
identify the beauty of each different tree trunk.
I hope this page will help you in thinking about different
ways you can use your natural surroundings to teach and
educate people of all ages.
