By Louis Silcox as seen in the Wilmot-Tavistock Gazette
Two sets of triplets have arrived in New Hamburg.
They’re trees, recently planted in the Township of Wilmot Arboretum, but they’re significant.
Three of them are Eastern White Pines. This is Ontario’s official tree. It played an important role in the settlement of Ontario as many were used for masts for the British Navy. The trees grow very tall (one is the tallest-known tree in the province), they’re straight, easy to work, strong and light. White pine can live 250 years and is sometimes referred to as the Tree of Great Peace.
In a happy coincidence, white pine needles grow on the twigs in clusters of five, the number of letters in both white and blanc. Spruce needles grow directly from the twig.
The other three are striped maples. Striped maples are also called moosewood, moose maples and (my favourite) goosefoot maples. When you see a leaf next spring, you’ll get it. The stripe on this tree is on the wood, not the leaves. Young trees are green with white stripes and, as they age, the striping will evolve to duller and darker colours. The green means young trees carry out photosynthesis in their trunks, even before leaves appear. These are understory trees, which do well in low light underneath other trees, but can shoot up if the opportunity arrives. They are also sequential hermaphrodites, meaning they can switch from male to female during their lives.
Note the mulch around these new arrivals is shaped like a donut to retain soil moisture, discourage weeds and mowers, and is away from the trunk.
These trees were purchased by Garden Wilmot with a grant from the Ontario Horticultural Association, and planted with the cooperation of the township.
A Garden Wilmot volunteer plants one of three Eastern White Pine saplings purchased by the garden club in the Wilmot Arboretum. Photo by Marlene Knezevich
Correction** Cody of Eby, Supervisor of Parks & Facilities of Wilmot Township was planting as well as other staff in the right photo.
Garden Wilmot volunteers plant a Striped Maple sapling at the Wilmot Arboretum. Photo by Marlene Knezevich
