But then! While on a jaunt with the dogs and Josh to Greenlake! The sun was setting, the wind was howling, white caps frothed in our direction, and the smell of maple syrup was all around us. I followed my nose down to the rusty colored carpet of dawn redwood needles at our feet. It got me thinking about the paradox of deciduous conifers. So I did a little googling. Here are the tid-bits:
#1: There are only a handfull of deciduous conifers out there. 14 larches, 3 cypresses, the dawn redwood, and the ginko (though it's more of a cycad than a conifer).
#2: Evergreen needles and leaves have a higher carbon-nitrogen ratio than deciduous ones. In an evergreen forest, this creates a more acidic soil that is low in nitrogen content. Such soil conditions favor the growth of more evergreens (that can absorb nutrients year round) and make it difficult for deciduous plants to set up shop.
#3: Evergreens, b/c they keep their foliage for longer stints, are more susceptible to getting sick from long term exposure to air pollution, and therefore may not make the best street trees.
And now that you're all asleep, here are a few pics that Isiah took on our Larch March 09. One thing is for sure about these botanical oddballs - their fall color can be breathtaking.
This is great info - i didn't know all that about the carbon-Nitrogen ratio of evergreen leaves. Blair and i just walked around Greenlake the other day and it was great. I think you are right about the bald cypresses - the dawn redwoods are on the south end near the kayaks. love those. The larches looked great, too - golden just like your pics. i think fall is the best season for Greenlake, just for the amazing color contrasts. The Red Pine Grove is so elegant, too. Have you noticed the Cedar of Lebanon there?
ReplyDelete