Name the types of trees in these pictures to win fabulous prizes!!!
When we first walked this patch of land in early April, it looked barren and wasted. How little we knew!
The space seems to be growing into a full-fledged Food Forest with minimal intervention from its human inhabitants. We knew the Autumn Olive was edible, but every day we find another edible plant growing up around us. Hallelujah!
Our piece of earth backs right up to Cacapon Park. I’m not sure the slope of Warm Springs Ridge right above our field is true old growth, but it’s a very diverse, old, elegant forest, for sure. So seeds can just roll down the hill and take root!
Now we have thousands of beautiful saplings coming up all over; probably more than can even grow! So another benefit to visiting us this summer will be the opportunity to tag a tree with your name and come (carefully!!) dig it up in the fall to transplant into your life!
So, now, to the contest: we want YOUR help identifying the trees and saplings growing around us. For many of them, we have a pretty good idea of the type (genus) of tree they are, if not the specific species. For a few we are quite sure. But for others, we’re grasping at straws.
Here are seven sets of pictures of tree types. To enter the contest, write an email to mail@insideoutwholeness.net listing 1-7 and names for each one. The more specific the better! Ideally Genus and species, or at least specific common name (Sugar Maple or Paper Birch, as opposed to Maple or Birch). It’s Ok to look things up, but please include links or bibliographic info so we have all the resources we can get. If you know a tree from your childhood, your yard or your work with plants, that’s even better.
The first person to send an email correctly identifying all 7 trees will win a Balancing Gift Set ($40 value) with option to exchange the Maracoc tincture for any 2oz tincture of their choice. If no one correctly identifies all the trees by the end of June (when the contest ends) the person who has correctly identified the most trees will win a 2oz tincture of their choice.
Now I’m gonna type some CYA stuff: No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. time stamp on emails will be used to determine which email was received first. One entry per person. Correct identification will be determined by double checking in a few reliable sources.
Tree #1
Tree One is by far the most common. It has shiny green leaves, except the newest leaves, which are purple! Note the orange “glands” on the stem by the new growth in the third picture.
Tree #2
Tree Two has longer, shinier leaves with hints of red to orange. They tend to grow in the boggier open areas, so they must love moisture and sunlight.
Tree #3
Tree Three has small round leaves in opposite pairs. It tends to grow in the drier, sunnier places.
Tree #4
Tree Four looks very similar to tree #1, but the leaves are wavier. You see this process is very scientific.
Tree #5
Tree Five has lobed leaves that look a little like the “we come in peace” sign.
Tree #6
Tree six has heart shaped leaves sort of cascading over each other, and the younger ones are pinkish.
Last but not least, Tree Seven is an evergreen.
OK, good luck, and I can’t wait to read your thoughts, observations and guesses! Rambling and speculation are encouraged!
