Happy Mystery Monday! This week, we are testing your botany skills! Do you know what these little hairs are called when found on plants? This Japanese honeysuckle has them on its young growth.
Last week, we asked you about the sweet gum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua). When sweet gum is young, the stem will have these corky outgrowths. As the tree ages, the bark becomes more deeply fissured with connecting ridges. Sweet gums are extremely versatile trees that are able to fix nitrogen and therefore can thrive in many soil environments. When young, these trees are excellent fodder for a variety of small mammals.
Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.
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