Dr. Dirr Tree Spotlight: Catalpa speciosa, northern or western catalpa, down but not out
Catalpa speciosa has never been commonly utilized in cultivated landscapes, yet somehow occurs in off-the-grid locations from Maine to Florida to the west coast. The
Read MoreTrees and College Campuses: A Mutual Symbiosis
A December, 2017 visit to Amherst, MA to enjoy a Georgia-University of Massachusetts (UMass) basketball game brought back fond memories of my graduate student days
Read MoreDr. Dirr’s Tree Spotlight: Quercus shumardii – Shumard Oak
Shumard oak is one of the most widely distributed species of the red oak group ranging from Ontario (4 counties) to Florida, west to Kansas,
Read MoreDr. Dirr’s Tree Spotlight: Gymnocladus dioicus-Kentucky coffeetree
An email arrives from a master wood craftsman in Limerick, Maine. It reads… “have access to a giant log of Kentucky coffeetree but am broke.
Read MoreDr. Dirr Spotlight: Pyrus calleryana- Callery pear and invasiveness
Touted as the biological savior for stressful environments since the introduction of ‘Bradford’ in January, 1960. Profuse white flowers in spring, shining dark green summer
Read MoreDr. Dirr’s Tree Spotlight: Ulmus americana
Without equivocation, the American elm was the dominant street, shade and urban tree species in North America until the introduction of Dutch elm disease. Embedded
Read MoreDr. Dirr’s Tree Spotlight: Quercus bicolor
The North American deciduous forest is rich with oak diversity such as Quercus bicolor. Oaks are categorized as belonging to the White or Red /Black
Read MoreDr. Dirr’s Tree Spotlight: Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Dr. Dirr’s Tree Spotlight September 18th, 2017 The species, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, was considered extinct until rediscovered in the 1940s in China and reintroduced via the
Read MoreDr. Dirr’s Tree Spotlight: Aesculus flava
Dr. Dirr’s Tree Spotlight: August 28th, 2017 Such a great tree, reaching its zenith in the southern Appalachians, with trees 80 to 100’ in height.
Read MoreDr. Dirr’s Tree Spotlight: Corylus fargesii- Farges filbert or hazel
With the loss of Fraxinus, ash, to emerald ash borer and no resistance among the 22 U.S. native species; the uncertainty of long term performance
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