lorax

As the Lorax, I think it's only fitting that I be the one to start a thread about our favourite trees.

To let you know mine, I'll digress into the realm of musicals... (sing this to the tune of "My Favourite Things" from The Sound of Music)

Thorns on the kapok and fern-trees all mossy...
Tall sturdy cocoa with pods smooth and glossy...
Red-blooming Ceibo all covered in bees,
These are a few of my favourite trees....

Vasconcella! Lovely Bixa! Andanenthra tooo!
I just have to think of my favourite trees
To remember why
I
Moved.

I'd love to include nanners, but they're basically just overgrown plants.

mskitty38583

i love ALL trees!. but a few of my favs are as follows: anything citrus(except lemons) weeping willows( green americian standard) dogwoods(white and pink) weeping peach, weeping mulberry,weeping cherries, cherry trees(even though i dont eat the fruit) oaks, and i love the white virginia pine. oh they smell so wonderfull when you walk in the woods and there is a slight breeze. dont like the sap but its worth it to smell them. i want to get a hawthorn to plant in my yard.( if your irish you know why...they are fairy trees...) i like apple trees, blooms from pear trees, maples-silver, green,sugar.....pecan trees. and a must have before next year a cinnamon tree. this is a short list of my favs. the other part of the list goes on for about 12 pages.

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lorax

You know that you can use cinnamon leaves the same way you would use the bark, right? Renewable yumminess!

Of course, as the Lorax I have a general love for all trees. I just tend to hold some of them closer and refrain from hugging the ones with spiney trunks (look up the kapok, you'll see what I mean....)

mskitty38583

so before you tree huggers assume the position to hug a tree, make sure it:

1. dosent have spines or sharp pokey things pointing out( 1st trip to e.r.).
2. dosent contain snakes.(2nd painful trip to e.r.)
3. dosent contains the hugest family of ants youve ever seen( 3rd painful trip to e.r.)
4. dosent contain panthers, jags, pumas..etc... sitting on the branch right above your head.( probably the last trip youd make to the e.r.)

LOL!

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Richard

Be careful of the oil content in cinnamon leaves. A little bit too much and your skin (or tongue) will burn for hours.

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JoeReal

Come to think of it, I can't decide what's my favorite tree. Practically if they are in their proper places, I'd love them all.

lorax

Really? I eat them like candy when I'm around people's cinnamons, and it doesn't seem to bother me. I might be used to it, though, since I used to chew cinnamon bark when I was studying for the pick-me-up. Definitely on my list for my new garden when I get there.

JoeReal

I love your lyrics more than the original!!!
Wish there were more including the nanners.

lorax

it took me quite a while to figure out how to rhyme "mossy" and still relate it to trees.... I'll see what I can do for the rest of the lyrics, and include nanners.

lorax

Here goes.... I seem to recall the original having three verses.

Thorns on the kapok and fern-trees all mossy...
Tall sturdy cocoa with pods smooth and glossy...
Red-blooming Ceibo all covered in bees,
These are a few of my favourite trees....

Tallest of crotons, the Sangre de Drago...
Mangroves, cecropias, grown in the Lago...
Dark greeny guabos all dripping with beans,
These are a few of my favourite trees....

Short stocky nanners all hanging in bunches...
Firm pitahaya I eat with my lunches....
Sharp spicy peppercorns making me sneeze,
Also my fav'rites although they're not trees....

Vasconcella! Lovely Bixa! Andanenthra tooo!
I just have to think of my favourite trees
To remember why
I
Moved!

Edit: For those of you wondering, or who don't know where I live, the trees (and non-trees ) I reference in this song all grow in various parts of Ecuador. I used to live in Northern Canada, where my favourite trees were elms, maples, and oaks. Before I moved, I'd never seen a live nanner tree, or anything else I mention in the song.

For the botanically curious, the first verse should pose no problems. In the second verse, the Sangre de Drago (Croton lechierii) is indeed the world's tallest croton, pushing 20 meters, and has medicinal sap. Mangroves should be common, but Cecropia are distinctly South American. Check out the blog my sig links to for more info on them. Guabo is the generic term for any tree that produces long, edible beans; particularly this is a fruit referred to in English as the Ice Cream Bean. Pitahaya are also called Dragon Fruit, and come from cacti. Vasconcella are Papayas and their relatives, Bixa is Achiote whence cheddar cheese gets its colour, and Andanenthera includes the trees called Huilco, Yopo, and Palo Santo, all of which are mimosa relatives.

NanaNut2

Madrona trees top my list. I just love the red/bronze bark. So tall and stately. And love how the bark splits and curls.

I've also loved lace leaf maples, pink dogwood, and apple trees.

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NanaNut2

NanaNut2

I almost forgot my favorite childhood tree. The ancient boxelder at Grandma's ranch. Fantastic for climbing on and one wonderful swing. Great memories.

And now, new favorites are palm trees. Any kind of palm trees. I just love them!

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Richard

My favorite tree of all time is the California White Live Oak, Quercus chrysolepis. A close second is the Coast Live Oak, Quercus agrifolia.

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bencelest

Joe:
So calamondin is NOT your favorite tree. Because you gave it away.
TO ME!
It is now over 12 feet tall and serving my family well and of course my mother-in-law.
I think that's why I'm her favorite.

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Dean W.

I like all trees too. Some of my favorites that grow locally are Oaks, elms and palms.

Dean

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CookieCows

My favorite trees would be English Walnut, Douglas Fir, Redwood, Myrtlewood, Eucalyptus and Magnolia.

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magicgreen

Hi everyone, Guess i"ll jump in here too!
Some of my favorites are.........

Dogwood, Golden raintree, Chinese maple, Oak, Weeping willow, Buckeye, all Evergreens, Bald cypress and Redwood (even tho' ive never had the pleasure of seeing the last 2 in person)

Its SPRINGGGggggggggg!!!!!!- FINALLY!!!!!!!!
Best luck for the growing season to all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lynn

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(Zone 6)

Lagniappe

My favorite tree is the Mimosa. It always reminded me of "Horton Hears A Who" and my grandfather used to tell us kids that the flowers were baby flamingos .I've always enjoyed its clownish nature and 'in-your-face' attitude.

xavierdlc61887

speaking of live oaks im getting 120+ seedlings this coming week hahha woooo u can never have enough plants :P

Lagniappe

and I'm going to mow about 2 million white oak seedlings in my lawn this week.
Thats my second favorite. This year the ground was covered in acorns and most seemed to have germinated . The seedlings are already 3-5 " tall .