Eastern White Cedar

Eastern White Cedar

Botanical name: Thuja occidentalis. a Zone 3 tolerant plant growing best in full sun to partial shade, and reaching 20-40′ tall/10-20′ wide. Frequently referred to as  Arborvitae, (Tree of Life) because the Native Americans and early European explorers used the foliage  – which is rich in vitamin C – to treat scurvy.

White Cedar is a commonly occurring tree of the northern forests, where several species of birds feast on the fruits or use the dense branches for cover. Since it is most often associated with cool, moist, nutrient-rich sites, White Cedar may need extra care in southern MN areas.

Flower buds form in autumn and expand the following spring. Cones are full grown by mid-August, ripen in August and September.  Woody scales of mature female cones enclose double-winged seeds which are released the year after development.

Raspberry

Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus)

Size: 3-4′ canes usually in large swath of growth

Fruiting: July-August

Birds: late-Summer feeding of young such as red-headed woodpecker, robin, thrasher, and catbird.

Red Raspberry plants are broadly distributed throughout North America; most often found in open woodlands and streamsides growing from 3 – 5 feet tall. The juicy, red fruits ripen in July and August, and are very tasty to humans and birds. They are very low-maintenance plants, that prefer full sun to partial shade, and can tolerate a variety of soil conditions; though they prefer moderate moisture.

Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) has small, greenish-white petals that start appearing in late May to early June followed by their edible fruits appearing between July and August. They are most often found in forest or grove clearings, disturbed sites such as road crossings, woodland edges, or abandoned farm fields. The fruits are thought to be consumed by more that 150 species of birds and animals… including humans.

Hackberry

Hackberry (Celtic occidentalis)

Size: 40′ tall with wide canopy spread

Flowering: inconcpicuous

Fruiting: autumn

Birds: late-fall migrants, and into winter species such as cedar waxwing, yellow-bellied sapsucker, mockingbird, purple finch, and robin.

Hackberry is a 40-60′ tall tree with a 30′ spread. This tree can attain very large proportions, usually reaching 40′-60′ tall. When grown in the open, it develops a short bole and a large rounded crown. A native North American tree that is widely distributed in the east, and the Great Plains, Hackberry prefers full sun to partial shade, grows in a variety of soils, and is very draught tolerant. Hackberry fruit is a round drupe with a thin, sweet, edible pulp enclosing a bony, cream-colored nutlet. The fruit, which is usually variable in size, form and color is dark orange or red to dark purple or black in color. The fruit persists though the winter, but most are consumed or fall off by the spring by some of the 25+ species of birds that feed on it, including cedar waxwing, yellow-bellied sapsucker, mockingbird, robin, and others.