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 As you might remember from some of our Tree of the Month articles, many common species in our area have pretty long lifespans. For example, in places like Savannah and Charleston, the southern live oaks you see there are likely to be at least 150 years old. Loblolly pines, which are common to the Athens area, can be expected to live up to 300 years in favorable conditions. But what’s the longest living tree?  The first species that comes to mind is probably the redwood. Those towering behemoths are surely some of the oldest in the country, if not the world, right? That’s pretty impressive, but redwoods are by no means the longest-lived tree species out there. In fact, they are comparatively going through their angsty teen years. Species such as the bald cypress, chestnut, Grecian olive, and sequoia have recorded members well over 3,000 years old. The World’s Oldest Living Tree
By most estimates, the tree Methuselah is believed to be over 4,852 years old. Aside from microscopic organisms whose ages we can’t definitely confirm, that makes Methuselah the oldest living thing on the planet.
But wait – we said Methuselah was the oldest living tree up until a few years ago. What about now?  In 2016, another bristlecone pine in the Inyo National Forest was discovered that is believed to be over 5,000 years old, beating out Methuselah by at least 150 years. This tree has not been given a name, and is usually referred to collectively with Methuselah as “Methuselah and its senior.” AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.
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 Springtime is here! There are little blue and white wildflowers blooming in the grass, and the trees are sprouting new leaves and buds. Or are they? As you’ve probably noticed, not all trees are showing new leafy growth. In fact, some look just as dead as they have all winter. Your first instinct might be that these trees are dead or diseased. But don’t cut them down just yet! There are a lot of different factors that go into knowing when a tree should be growing new leaves.
In addition to this, trees bloom and develop leaves at their own pace. Things like their species, size, age, and the availability of resources can direct how and when a tree starts to leaf out. Some trees might get the memo earlier than others, so they’ll start to bloom first. Other trees might take much longer to grow leaves, so the change is a bit delayed. Birch and willow trees tend to bloom earlier than other species to get a head start on food production time. Oaks and elms, on the other hand, wait until the last minute to start budding, because the sudden drops in temperature in the spring can be especially damaging for them. So how are you supposed to know if your tree is just getting a slow start, or if it’s actually in danger?
After bending a few twigs, if you still aren’t sure, you can cut a twig or two from the tree and examine the inside. Living twigs will be moist and colored some shade of green, depending on the species. Dead twigs will be dry on the inside, and will be a “lifeless” color (white, cream, grey, brown, ash, black, etc). If you come across dead or dying twigs, it’s time worry. Check for other signs of decay, like insect burrow holes or rot. You can also give your friendly neighborhood arborist a call. We offer free estimates, and will come out and diagnose the problem for you.
AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.  You’ve probably heard before that there is a Cherry Blossom tree festival in Japan every year – but did you know there’s an International Cherry Blossom Festival celebrated right here in the United States? In fact, the Cherry Blossom capital of the world is in Macon, Georgia! What Makes Cherry Blossoms So Special?Cherry trees bloom once every spring, but the flowers only last for about a week before the petals begin to fall from the trees. From start to finish, any given cherry tree will have blooms for a mere ten days on average.
How Did the Cherry Blossom Festival Come to America?
The Cherry Blossom Festival in Macon, Georgia
During this time, you can walk the cherry-blossom-lined streets on the Cherry Blossom Trail, a special route that passes by near-endless blooming cherry trees. Cherry trees will also be available for purchase at Carolyn Crayton Park, for just $15 each. The Different Kinds of Cherry TreesThe term “cherry tree” might seem like it refers to a specific species. But actually, there are dozens of varieties of cherry trees, all native to China and Japan. They come in many shapes and sizes, some with pale white flowers, bright pink flowers, and every shade in between. The tree that spurred the devotion in Japan is the Yoshino cherry. The Washington DC cherries are largely Yoshino, but there are many other varieties there as well. What Are the Best Cherry Trees to Grow in Georgia?If you’d like to plant your very own cherry tree, you’ll be pleased to know they are very easy to maintain. There are four main varieties that do well in the unforgiving heat of Georgia summers. All four of these varieties prefer full sun to partial shade, which means about 4 hours of unfiltered sunlight every day. They like plenty of water, but grow best in well-drained soil.
Do Cherry Blossom Trees Grow Cherries?This might feel like a silly question. They’re cherry trees, after all. Surely they grow cherries? The answer is yes, all cherry blossom trees do grow cherries, but not the kind you’d find at the grocery store. These cherries are small, bitter, and generally unappetizing. You can eat them if you like, but most people don’t. They are, however, a favorite of birds.  AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio. 
White oaks prefer full sun or partial shade at all life stages, which means at least 4 or so hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day. They’re pretty adaptable to most soil textures and compositions, but deep soil is a must, as a white oak’s tap root (the main root that grows straight down) grows incredibly long. This long tap root makes these trees difficult to transplant, even when young – so if you plant one, be sure you’re absolutely confident in where you put it!
White oak trees are what’s known as monoecious, which means they both male and female flowers on the same tree. The male flowers, called catkins, are skinny yellow clusters that hang down from the branches. On average, they sit around 4 inches long. The female flowers are smaller, reddish in color, and more spikey.
In the fall, before the leaves drop, these flowers will produce acorns that are generally at least an inch long, with about a quarter of that covered by a warty cap. These acorns germinate quickly, within just a few days after falling from the tree, which makes them extremely easy to cultivate.  It’s important to remember, though, that the acorns, along with the shedding bark and fall leaves, can present quite a ground litter problem – especially if they’re in your yard. But, if you don’t mind a little raking, white oaks make perfect shade trees in the hotter months, and will stand for generations to come. AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio. |
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23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24
24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24