Comments on: Cool Start, Warm Middle to the week–Unsettled later.

By: Don Paul

Don Paul — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:51:42 +0000

NEW THREAD IS NOW UP.

By: marinecore3008

marinecore3008 — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 03:55:50 +0000

Before I forget to mention. October 13th, 2006. Most damaged trees were norway and silver maples. It’s sad to think norways shouldn’t have even been here, but they were devastated. From what I could recall most were still green, unlike some other trees that had atleast somewhat started to turn. It didn’t really make a difference though.

By: marinecore3008

marinecore3008 — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 03:51:46 +0000

Chris, good points. I can’t honestly say I’ve seen too many wild norway maples down here. In fact there are very few silver maples down here as well. However, like you said, sugar and red maples definetly have the best color. Good Advice.

By: Chris from Pendleton

Chris from Pendleton — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 02:57:01 +0000

Oh yeah, sorry for my rant re: Norway Maples (certainly was not directed at marinecore, it was directed at Norway Maples). My in-laws are well aware of my disdain for Norway Maples – they went out of town during the Spring and returned to find that their Norway Maples had been replaced with Red and Sugar Maples. The sugar/red maples are faring much better in their yard anyway, all have put on amazing new growth this Summer, even thought this Summer has been unusually cool.

Nothing beats the Fall foliage of a Sugar Maple, it’s a magnificent sight when they change color in October. For anyone despising the seed mess left by native Maples (i.e. Red, Sugar, Silver), some of the popular seedless cultivars, such as the Autumn Blaze and Red Sunset Maples, do very well in our area and I recommend them.

By: Chris from Pendleton

Chris from Pendleton — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 02:35:57 +0000

marinecore -

Very true, some tree species drop foliage later than others, but in general the onset of foliage color change will occur in most trees around the same time, give or take a few days. Pin Oaks, for example, hold their browned out leaves throughout Winter, the leaves drop when the new buds emerge. Oaks in general bloom late and defoliate late in Fall. Elevation certainly plays a role due to the cooler temps in the higher terrain (i.e. peak Fall season hits early in the Adirondacks).

Norway Maples, as the name implies are native to Norway, they were introduced to the US in the early 1900s, and are designed by nature to thrive in cold climates, so they hold their foliage at least a few weeks longer than native maples. It’s somewhat frustrating to see them creeping into forests around our area – they are invasive and out-compete native Maples, there are all sorts of articles out there on the web about the damage that Norway Maples are causing throughout the Northeastern US. It’s becoming a serious problem, don’t be surprised to see action taken by States throughout the Northeast in upcoming years to prevent the perpetuation of Norway Maples.

You’d think that planting a tree is always a positive for the environment, unfortunately like everything else there can be a downside if you’re unaware of whether or not it is invasive. Here’s an article about the invasive Norway Maple for anyone interested…

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/invasivetutorial/Norway_maple.htm

By: marinecore3008

marinecore3008 — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:39:19 +0000

Another note- here in southern Erie county, northern red oaks are the last to lose their leaves in the woods, roughly around holloween. By November 10th the boston hills are bare, normally.

By: marinecore3008

marinecore3008 — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:36:34 +0000

Chris, the type of tree has implications on how fast fall seems to come as well. In lower elevations or urban areas, there are silver maple and norway maple trees. These trees are very hardy trees, meaning first to bud, last to lose their leaves. In southern Erie, Wyoming, Chatauqua, Cattaragus, and Allegany counties, the woods are made up of sugar maple, red maple, basswood, oak, beech, poplar, etc…. It’s been my observation that these trees don’t stay green as long as the silver or especially norway maples, being that the hills are mostly non-norway or silver maple, the trees turn faster due to the make up of the tree like amount of chloroplast and root structure. I’ve seen norway maples and silver maples stay green into november. I have almost never seen a sugar maple or poplar tree stay that green, that long. Not to mention elevation being a key factor in southern areas, not just proximity to the lakeshore. I think Buffalo and other urban areas stay greener longer due to the amount of silver and norway maples in town and how much longer those trees take to defoliate as compared to a sugar maple. Just my opinion.

By: Don Paul

Don Paul — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:20:49 +0000

Very good stuff, Chris.

I agree that most people don’t take advantage of Cornell Cooperative Extension services and expertise. The extension offices knowledge base largely is tied to the lastest research done at the Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, along with that of other land grant colleges.

By: barrie1ont

barrie1ont — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:54:25 +0000

Interesting comments Chris from Pendleton.

Maybe the ‘cases’ bandied about by colleagues was trees under stress. Compared to some places, it has been dry around here.

Thinksnow09: Tad below normal temperature wise and below normal rainfall. Lot more cloud than sun, but not many raindrops. Of course, talk to someone a few miles away and they’ll report lots of rain.

By: Thinksnow09

Thinksnow09 — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:48:33 +0000

Thanks Chris, maybe a side job as an Arborist? (if that is the term?) The turning of the leaves has always fascinated me, and yet I have little knowledge of the subject. You just help shed alot more light onto the subject. One thing I do know, and Don I heard this from you, is that the trees directly next to the thruway will change color faster due to the carbon monoxide let off by our vehicles. If that is the case, can pollution have an effect on a much broader scale?