Eight native deciduous trees and four native evergreens with exfoliating bark
Bark of Shagbark HickoryImage: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
A. Shaggy (exfoliating) bark adds interest and drama to the winter garden. It draws attention and entertains the eye when there are no leaves on the deciduous trees.
Of course, the bark is attractive at other times of the year as well. It's just more visible in the winter when there's less foliage in the landscape.
Compared to the climate, soil, water, drainage, and space requirements of the tree, the appearance of the bark is a secondary consideration. But when you've narrowed your choice to several trees that should work in your planting spot, then you might research the appearance of the bark.
Common names below are linked to the USDA Plants Database. Visit the linked site for more information about that tree.
Acer rubrum - Red Maple
Acer saccharinum - Silver Maple
Aesculus flava - Yellow Buckeye
Betula alleghaniensis Britt. - Yellow birch
Betula nigra - River birch
Betula papyrifera Marsh - Paper birch
Carya ovata - Shagbark Hickory
Juniperus virginiana - Eastern Redcedar
Picea sitchensis - Sitka Spruce
Platanus occidentalis - Sycamore (American Planetree)
Taxodium distichum - Common Baldcypress
Thuja occidentalis - Eastern Arborvitae
Eastern Red Cedar bark is used in my yard as nesting material for local critters and especially the squirrels. This week they have been regularly gathering strips for their winter home. Cardinals love roosting and nesting in cedar also. Same for the Dawn Redwood..... my favorite tree ;0) Thanks for bringing attention to some easily overlooked choices.
ReplyDeleteMockingbirds are also fond of nesting in redcedar trees -- or any sort of a tree that's prickly.
ReplyDeleteHiked in a cedar brake yesterday with all the shaggy bark, then admired a prickly ash. I only know because the trees had ID tags, but the bark was intriguing.
ReplyDeleteI went survival camping this weekend and i had to find food i climbed the tree in hop of some kind of egg or animal and found nuts.
ReplyDeletei then saw what kind of tree it was
shaggy bark hickory.
I had to boil them to make it taste good.
The shagginess of the bark was home to many bugs and sparrow nests
so i got eggs in the morning!
It was a really cool sight, the trees and now i know about them more.
Hmmm. I don't really think you're supposed to be raiding songbird nests and eating the eggs...
ReplyDeleteBut I'm glad the hickory nuts worked out for you.
You're definitely not. It's a violation of the migratory bird act, and a federal crime.
DeleteDefinitely should not be rading sparrow nests for eggs as it's illegal to kill or have posession of part or all of any living or dead native bird. Only non-native birds (House Sparrows, Starlings, etc) are legal to kill or possess.
ReplyDeleteNeed help in IDing a couple of trees in my neighborhood (central New Hampshire) BOTH of which are young (less than 5 inches at base) and have small-scale 'shaggy bark'. BOTH have Beech-type leaves except one has smooth edges and opposite leaves, 7 per bract, and the other has serrated edges and alternate leaves, about 6 per bract. Looking for American Hornbeam in ONE of them. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteEverything happens for a reason so do you what is the biological reason for the shagging of shagbark hickory bark?
ReplyDelete