Trees Are Key

Trees Are Key

By Paul JohnsonEducation
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Trees Are Key episodes

  • Keys to Citrus Greening
    Trees Are Key
    Let’s discuss “Keys to Citrus Greening.” One of the amazing things about Texas is the variety of trees that can grow across our amazingly diverse landscape. Unfortunately, during this our #ForestHealth month, we’ve highlighted one challenge to our citrus industry in “Cankers Are Key” and this week we will focus on another challenge to our citrus trees. Citrus greening has been confirmed in several locations across the gulf coast, coastal bend and south Texas.
    Species Spotlight
    The Texas Persimmon Diospyros texana is also known as Chapote or Mexican Persimmon and is a semi-evergreen Texas native. Usually found on Rocky and dry sites in Central and South Texas, west to Brewster county, the Texas Persimmon requires well-drained soils. The species has gained favor as a landscape tree from Austin to Houston.
    12 min
  • Keys to Hypoxylon
    Trees Are Key
    Let's take a look at a canker that seems to have become more popular in the last decade. The hypoxylon canker, has been renamed Biscogniauxia (instead of Hypoxylon) atropunctatum, but everyone still refers to it as hypoxylon. Hypoxylon canker is a fungus that causes cankers and death of oak and other hardwood trees.
    Species Spotlight
    This week's species spotlight features the Water oak, Quercus nigra, a deciduous, Texas native. This large tree grows to 90 feet or more with a trunk to 3 feet in diameter, with a dense, round crown of dark green foliage. Its wood is heavy, hard, and strong, light brown in color, with lighter-colored sapwood.
    12 min
  • Keys to Cankers
    Trees Are Key
    Let's discuss "Keys to Cankers." We'll look at a category of damage that can be biotic or abiotic and discuss prevention and management. Listen in to learn more!
    Species Spotlight
    The Black Walnut Juglans nigra is also referred to as Eastern Black Walnut. This deciduous Texas Native is a large tree to 100 feet tall and a trunk to 3 feet or more, with a straight stem often clear of branches for half of its height, and an open, rounded crown of foliage. Black walnut occurs in East Texas on rich bottomlands and moist fertile hillsides, as far west as the San Antonio River.
    15 min
  • Resilience is Key
    Trees Are Key
    Urban trees and forests face stress on a regular basis, but when disaster strikes, the stress can be extreme and damaging. When trees are resilient, cities and communities are too. Listen in to learn more about how "Resilience is Key."
    Species Spotlight
    This week's species spotlight features the Gum Bully Sideroxylon lanuginosum is also known as Gum Bumelia, Gum-Elastic, Woolybucket Bumelia. This deciduous Texas native is a medium-sized tree, typically to 40 feet tall and a trunk to 12" in diameter, with short, stout, stiff branches that form a narrow, oval crown of dark green foliage.
    12 min
  • Competencies are Key
    Trees Are Key
    Are you competent? For our urban and community forestry program we use competencies to help drive our program and professional development. We have a list of U&CF competencies and each of our program development meetings concentrates on one or more of these competencies to improve our program. Listen in to learn more!
    Species Spotlight
    Chinkapin Oak Quercus muehlenbergii is a deciduous Texas native medium or large tree reaching a height of 70 feet and a trunk to 3 feet in diameter, with a rounded crown of glossy, green foliage. It is also planted widely as a shade tree suitable for limestone soils.
    15 min
  • Photosynthesis is Key
    Trees are Key
    Photosynthesis may be the biological life process that most people know about but don’t think about or consider when caring for their trees. Who would ever top a tree if they think about the tree needing leaves to photosynthesize and feed itself? Listen to this week's episode to learn more.
    Species Spotlight
    The Nuttall Oak (Quercus texana) is a deciduous Texas native. Nuttall bark is smooth and gray to black, thin, breaking into scaly plates on larger trunks. Nuttall Oak can be found along the edges of forested wetlands, sloughs, terraces, and moist sites along major river systems in southeast Texas.
    14 min
  • Keys to Crown Reduction
    Trees Are Key
    Let’s discuss "Keys to Crown Reduction." Crown reduction may be one of the more challenging pruning objectives. Most of this work should be done in the outer canopy of the tree and is a skill. Listen in to learn more!
    Species Spotlight
    The Blackjack Oak, Quercus marilandica, is less commonly known as Barren Oak, Jack Oak, and Black Oak in Texas. The range of the Blackjack Oak is from East Texas all the way to Central Texas, with a small distinction on the western side.
    15 min
  • Gear is Key
    Last week we explored the question “Is Retrenchment Key?” and this week let’s discuss why “Gear is Key.” Arboriculture is an amazing profession. There is room for everyone, those that like to be outside, those that want to hunker down behind a computer, those that like to work with people, those that would rather stick to themselves. All have access to amazing tools or gear.
    Species Spotlight
    The Lacey Oak, Quercus laceyi, is also known as Blue Oak and Canyon Oak. This Deciduous Texas Native is a medium-sized tree to 40 or more feet tall with a stout trunk up to 2 feet in diameter. Lacey oak has a dense crown of distinctly bluish foliage that stands out from the junipers and live oaks.
    16 min
  • Is Retrenchment Key?
    Trees Are Key
    Let’s discuss “Is Retrenchment Key?” As we’ve talked about before, arboriculture is the art and science of caring for trees. This week’s topic is a perfect example of that principle.
    We are going to divide today’s discussion into two parts. First is natural retrenchment that happens as trees age. We talked about this some in episode 42 “Keys to Ancient Trees.” The second part of our discussion will discuss retrenchment pruning which has gained prominence in the last 5 or so years. Listen in to learn more!
    Species Spotlight
    The Swamp Chestnut Oak, Quercus michauxii (mih-SHOKES-ee-eye), has also been called Cow Oak and Basket Oak. This deciduous, Texas native is a large forest tree that can reach a height of 100 feet or more and a trunk diameter to 4 feet.
    17 min
  • Scenarios Are Key
    Trees Are Key
    One of my favorite activities is teaching and skills development. We host regular monthly web-based staff meetings, but those are primarily information sharing. Our program development meetings on the other hand are about developing our program and our competencies.
    #SpeciesSpotlight
    The Huisache, Acacia farnesiana, is also known as Sweet Acacia or Weesatch is this week's species spotlight. Huisache is Widespread in South Texas, with small populations extending into Brazos and Travis counties. They are often found on heavy, wet clays and clay-loams.
    14 min

About Trees Are Key

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#TreesAreKey with Paul Johnson helps listeners better understand and care for their trees. Weekly podcasts feature a short lesson and tree of the week, and share upcoming tree-related events around Texas. From planting to pruning, famous to flowering, to soil, sun and shade, and what to do when faced with disaster -- Trees Are Key has you covered.