My very first excursion into the world of blogging. And I hear that thousands are started every day! Add this one to the list. For those of you new to Lincoln, I am one of the outside sales people here, covering Southern Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. I've been at it for over 14 years and have met lots of great people, with many becoming very good friends. Like probably everyone reading this, I love ornamental plant material, and am looking forward to its discussion in this space.
The subject of my first love, horticulturally speaking of course, is trees. There is little more impressive to me than walking through a a mature mixed hardwood forest with a natural scattering of massive old trunks anchoring a canopy of far reaching limbs. Each time of year in such a place holds its own fascination - and always offers anyone there great beauty.
Most of us don't have our own primevil woods at the ready to marvel at, but anyone with a yard and some open space can plant at least one. How a about a whole grove? One of my favorites for this use is Betula nigra 'Cully' or Heritage River Birch. This one was introduced by Earl Cully well over 30 years ago. He noticed it as he was driving by someone's yard in Bloomington, Illinois, was graciously allowed a cutting to propagate, and the rest is history. It's a relatively fast grower, getting 40 to 70' tall and nearly as wide with room. Preferring moist ,acidic soil, though adaptable to most any kind, this Zone 4 tree is very pest and disease free - much more so than either Paper or European White Birch. And it can handle the summer heat of Southern Indiana and Kentucky with ease. Its dark green leaves turn yellow in the fall. But the real beauty of this tree is it's attractive exfoliating bark, and the bark's color - a very showy coppery white. More than attractive enough for lots of 4 season interest. They are usually sold as a clump and are often seen as a specimen in the front yard of someone's home. I think they work much more beautifully as a grove off to the side, or in the back of the property. Where white birches grow naturally (Northern Michigan, for example), you always see some grouped in close proximity, and it's a very impressive look. We offer them in a 10 Gallon Container, and balled and burlapped in sizes 8/10', 10/12', and 12/15'.
It's a great tree for the garden center and when designed into a landscape. I know most of you who may be reading this are aware of this very atractive tree, but I thought a friendly reminder wouldn't be out of line.
Well, that's the first one. I'll be sending out more as time permits. It would be nice if someone other than my family actually reads it. And I'm certain they will. How else can they pass the quiz?
Scott
