What’s Happening in October

 One change is some aggressive pruning in the west flower bed.  You can see the scrubs that were in the background this summer.  They are a lower growing type of dogwood.  They seem to be identified by color with the white type forming colonies from rhizomes which would describe the summer appearance. Most of the stems here are grey or white but there are a few red and yellow.  These are sometimes chosen for their winter color. The photo shows the leaf veins curving parallel to the leaf edge.  The twigs are opposite as in the MAD Horse mnemonic. 

There was a little discussion, these are probably the "grey" or white variety of dogwood.  The red and yellow are more dramatic, bright red long twigs in the winter, not just the stems.

( The suggested identification for the three small trees just west of the south entrance is Prunus serrulata possibly the Kwanzan cultivar.   It would be ornamental, not bearing fruit.  Mentioned here because also suggested there is cherry shot hole disease which can be seen before all the leaves fall)



A different type of dogwood for those used to
Kousa and Florida trees.



Dogwood leaves with veins curving paralllel to margin.






One plant with red stems.



One group of dogwood with yellow stems


The adjacent colorful red berries are on red choke berry plants.   The berries are said to stay until December and are popular with birds that over-winter.








Toward the end of October color is mainly the hollies, with both yellow and red berries.  On the south side there are also hollies with no berries reflecting their dioecious nature.  Male and female flowers are on separate plants.  You have to have a male in the area in order to have berries on the females.   There has been a concern as to invasiveness of the English holly compared to the native American holly.  The Enlish variety is said to have glossier leaves.  One source says to use them interchangeably,  others say to tear out the English variety.  Birds spread the berries widely. I will solicit expert help. (edit)  We are reassured that both red and yellow are American hollies and not invasive.  It would be interesting to see how these berries would reproduce.  Assume that the one male without berries pollenated both red and yellow neighboring plants.  What color berries would be produced by growing new hollies from the new berries?  Or would they grow at all?


Holly variety or cultivar with yellow berries

Female holly variety with red berries



Male holly with no berries, must be at least two of these










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