OUT!! #9: Of Catalpas and Hedge-Apples

You've seen them at least once this summer or at some point in life. The weird, lumpy fruits that bounce off of your lawn from that tree or bush of spurious origin or the long, bean-like fruits of the one with the heart-shaped leaves. These trees are some of my favorites because of their appearance and how little people seem to know about them or where they came from. I am of course referring to Catalpa (Catalpa spp.) and Osage-Orange (Maclura pomifera) trees. Far from being foreign and unknown, these trees are uniquely American species and while not closely related, are at least well recognized for their unique appearance on the New England landscape.

While originally from Texas, I saw my first Osage-Orange tree while working as a camp counselor at Drumlin Farm Day Camp in the summer of 2011. As I handled one of those lumpy fruits I could recall having read about such trees and their unusual fruits in a Golden Guide to Trees I'd read as a child. The guide states the following:

"Osage-Orange like Catalpa is planted widely outside its original range. It was used as one of the first "living fences" to bound prairie farms. Indians prized the tough wood for bows and war clubs; we use it to a limited extent for posts and ties. Osage-orange is a relative of the Mulberries and the Fig. It is easily identified by its shiny leaves, thorny twigs, bright orange inner bark. The unusual, wrinkled, orange-like fruit, 4 to 5 in. in diameter, has a typical citrus odor, but the inside is dry and pulpy, with a milky juice. It grows from a ball of small green flowers. Height: 15 to 50ft"

Photograph of leaves and fruit courtesy of Wikipedia

I remember that description well and was delighted to find several of the trees at Drumlin. Why they had been planted there is anyone's guess because they seemed to be scattered throughout the property. I have seen only three trees myself and hope that there are others of this one-of-a-kind tree elsewhere. Their scatter shot plantings didn't seem to have a fence post or enclosure in mind so perhaps, they were used for folk remedies when they were planted with the hope that the fruit they produced could be used to ward of various insects and spiders that hid in the home. According to a Wikipedia article on the plant, while it was used as a natural fence, its fruit, often called "hedge-apples", were used as insect repellant. This was possibly due to the citrus smell given off by the fruit and in some instances was strong enough the keep certain insects away permanently.

A Catalpa that resides on the Heard's Conservation Land.

While the Osage is unique in its own right, it is certainly less familiar than the Catalpa. One cannot drive anywhere along a main road in Sudbury or Wayland without seeing one of these distinctive trees. They're are the archetypical shade tree with their broad, green leaves and enormous canopies. I initially was only aware that there were trees by such a name due to a type of fishing bait I'd heard of called catalpa worms. The worms themselves are actually misnomers. They are actually the larvae of the Catalpa Sphinx Moth (Ceratomia catalpae) which feed on the leaves of the plant that they're named for. Originally of the Missouri River Valley, the Northern Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) has been introduced widely as fast-growing tree for timber production by farmers, but also for its aesthetic and shade providing qualities.

The unusual, yet intriguing aspects of these trees make them pop out to those who are paying attention. But to those who puzzle over a lumpy green fruit from that monster tree in the yard or that beautiful shade tree planted 100 years ago, you can be assured that if its either one of these trees, you will be thrilled.

OUT!! #8: The Natural Child

This summer has quite possibly been one of my most productive in terms of personal growth and learning about what truly makes me happy as an individual. The joy of being able to teach children about the natural world is a wonderful occupation and having the ability to be outside and interacting with nature fills my heart with unadulterated glee! Being able to show these young people these beautiful places that have been set aside for their benefit and education is one of the reasons I'm interested in becoming a teacher. Perhaps not a classroom teacher, but a teacher of nature and how it works.

For the past four summers ('08, '09, '11, and '12) I have been a summer camp counselor at Drumlin Farm Day Camp and have taught kids from 1st to 5th grade about the natural world, local wildlife, the state of the environment, and sustainable farming practices. With such a range of subjects, it almost seems daunting that anyone could cover such a diverse range of topics, but the degree of professionalism and knowledge shown by the Drumlin Farm camp staff is simply phenomenal. So many people from so many backgrounds all come together to produce (I'm quite biased as you can guess) one of the best summer camp experiences possible. However, as the title suggests this posting is less about praise and more about my perceptions about what children should be able to experience in the outside world.

I'm currently working from Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge Mini-Camp, which is a satellite location from Drumlin Farm that offers shorter camp sessions (three days) in exchange for more specialized curricula and activities to take place than would be possible at the main camp. For example, last week was themed "Nature Exploration" and focused on the three habitats found at the refuge: fields or woodland openings, the surrounding forest, and the kettle pond (Puffer Pond) in the center. For anyone to suggest that all kids are interested in these days are video games, electronics, and the latest androgynous pop stars has never seen a group of first graders crowded under a tree, quietly watching a Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) that was right above our heads. The bird seemed unperturbed by our presence and sat peacefully in the pine sapling above our heads, occasionally turning its head to survey the surrounding area. Another example to contradict this idea of bored children with little regard for the natural world was last week on the last day of the "Nature Exploration" camp we had to ask the campers several times to STOP ponding so that they could hike back to eat lunch. They had been ponding* for over an hour already and if it weren't for their need to consume food in order to remain happy and agreeable for the remainder of the day, we would have let them continue to do so.

*For the uninitiated, "ponding" refers to an activity centering around active nature exploration where the campers use sieves on the end of broom poles to scoop and sample the depths of ponds for the organisms that dwell within them. Common catches include, but are by no means limited to, diving beetles (Dytiscidae), water striders (Gerridae), dragon and damselfly larvae (Odonata), crayfish (Cambarus bartonii bartonii is the commonest), and frogs (typically consisting of Green and Bullfrogs (Rana clamitans and R. caresbeiana)).

While I understand that not all children can be let free in the wilds and expected to enjoy it as much as the person teaching them about it, for the most part, the kids that come are excited to be here. For those who aren't as enthused, while I'll be glad to show the kids a gall left behind by a wasp or other plant-molesting insect or point out the difference between a White Pine (Pinus strobus) and a Red Pine (P. resinosa), there are those few that seem to have been sent to camp as a way for the parents to get their kids outside for the summer and to have a place to look after them while they are at work. In those cases, few benefit and often the child is bored as they seem more interested in playing games that resemble school sports and causing wanton destruction to the surrounding plant life. Regardless of a given child's level of interest in nature, these kids have a future ahead of them plagued with troubles that threaten the very wildlife and plant life that they are allowed to freely revel in today. It is my hope that through this current generations efforts to protect and further educate those interested in the natural world, we can start a movement similar to the "back to the earth" movements of the 1960s and 70s which focused in on the importance of outdoor education and advocacy with an emphasis on greening communities using more local materials and traditional methods of agriculture.

Perhaps this is a pipe dream. Perhaps wishful thinking for the future. But even if there is just one who truly believes in a cause, they will make it happen, no matter the obstacles. Such dreaming reminds me of the Lorax by Dr. Seuss where the Onceler's selfish actions cause such severe environmental degradation to the point of local wildlife leaving in a mass exodus and causing enough smog to block out the stars at night. The message left by the Lorax as he "lifted himself by the seat of his pants" is a hopeful, yet ominous "UNLESS" causing the Onceler to regret his actions and tell the story to a local boy in order to enlist him as a steward of the last of the Truffula trees. This story is truly inspirational to me and through its example I hope we can find that strength to fix our current problems and allow for those future generations to be as fortunate as we are now to have woods to frolic in, ponds to pond in, and wild areas that people can explore for years to come.