Spring is on the way!
Spring is on the way in Walter’s Woods! If you’re strolling by, be sure to notice the catkins on our smooth alder trees (Alnus serrulata) along the creek, and the emerging leaves and buds on the red chokeberry shrubs (Aronia arbutifolia) scattered throughout the grass and woods.
Alders have many benefits for our green space. Their roots help stabilize the creek bank, and nodules along the roots capture nitrogen from the air; in essence, this plant creates its own fertilizer! The suckering branches create thickets for wildlife habitat, and the fruiting cones produce seeds eaten by many birds. These small trees produce both male and female flowers, or catkins. Male catkins are brownish yellow, slender cylinders which droop in clusters, while female catkins are small bright red flowers clustered at the tips of twigs.
Alder catkins
Red chokeberries provide nectar for bees and other pollinators. While not poisonous, the bright berries taste tart and bitter to humans but are relished by songbirds and small mammals.
Chokeberry berries and buds
Don’t forget to look down at the weeds! A wise person once said “A weed is simply a plant growing where you don’t want it”. Whether native or introduced, many weeds bloom early and are another early source of nectar. These include fleabane, dandelion, hairy bittercress, violet, lyre leaf sage, chickweed, and dead nettle. Many weeds are edible; for more information, check out the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s “Weed of the Month” archive here.
Honeybee on dead nettle
Honeybee on chickweed
Our Outdoor Library’s door was damaged when a large mulberry tree fell in May 2021. The door has been rebuilt with a new acrylic panel, and many new books have been added for first-time readers, young adults, and gardeners of all ages. Be sure to check out the new additions, and leave a book to share with another neighbor. (photo 5, new library door) (photo 6, books inside library)
New library door