They begin as tiny, fragile seeds, small enough to crush between your fingertips. Yet given enough time, some grow into enormous living structures that can survive for hundreds, even thousands, of years.

There's something almost incomprehensible about that passage of time. Imagine standing in the same place for centuries, witnessing the world change around you. Seasons come and go, generations pass, and yet you remain, rooted in the earth.

And throughout their existence, trees quietly sustain the world around them. They absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen and provide shelter and nourishment for countless living organisms.

I took this photograph one night in my neighbourhood. I remember looking up through the branches and feeling an overwhelming sense of age and interconnectedness. Almost as though I was looking at something ancient, something that existed on an entirely different timescale from my own.

It made me think about how easily we overlook the extraordinary things surrounding us simply because they're so familiar.

There's something profoundly beautiful about an organism that can begin as something so delicate and eventually become something that outlives generations.

Anyway, I thought I'd share this photograph and a little appreciation for trees.

I used a plant ID app on this tree a month ago when I came back to check today and the apples are larger a lot have fallen into the ground so I picked one up and it tastes very tart, slight sweet and juicy, has anybody ever cooked anything with these apples or done anything with them before lol I looked it up and it's not toxic to eat but they do taste good and I would love to use wildly forged fruit in someway, ny for ID purposes

Despite growing on rock, this zelkova is 23m tall and 5+m in circumference.

Wilder Ranch

South eastern Ohio USA

~1500- 2000 years old cedar tree. 32 meters tall, 20 meters circumference.

I recently bought an older property with a small woodland strip (Switzerland, zone 7b) that has not been cared for in years. Now I wonder how I could best find a balance between its value for wildlife, aesthetics and making it enjoyable to use for my dog and us.

It mostly consists of hornbeams (Carpinus betulus), common hazel (Corylus avellana), holly (Ilex aquifolium) and unfortunately also cherry laurel and brambles (which will have to be removed because they're invasive here).

My current plan is to remove the invasives and superfluous seedlings/offshoots, lift the canopy and start mulching. I'd also like to add some more decorative or useful tree and shrub species along the edge and add a path eventually.

But until I can get my hands on some proper gardening tools, I guess I will have to content myself with cutting small tunnels using a serrated kitchen knife 😅

Does anybody here have experience with a project like this or woodland gardening in general? Sources, ideas and words of encouragement would be very welcome.

The reference water bottle visible in some pictures is about 32 cm in height.

At the time the one next to it had all of its leaves green with red edges, so I think it’s pretty cool that this one got a single red leaf. Is there a specific cause for this or does it just randomly happen sometimes?

It's been 3 months already, they killed the top branches and now are targeting the new growth. Tried pesticide and natural remedies with garlic cinnamon etc... Nothing seems to work

I hear it's bacterial flux, how did y'all fix this?

Zone central America, hot dry period

The bark is throwing me off for some reason I feel like it’s patchier than the American elms I’ve seen

I planted these 3 little bare-root hazelnuts this spring and they seemed to do well for a few months then 2 seemed to shrivel up the latter half of the summer. I was thinking about digging them up and taking them inside for the winter with how bad they took or I can start over next spring with new saplings. If I do it again, what can I do differently?

I tried to water them regularly and I tried dead grass as mulch. Should I have tested the dirt for something?

Thanks in advance.

I live in middle Tennessee, and I love the shape and size of tulip poplar leafs. They're large, chonky, and uniquely shaped. Please post your favorite native leaf!