March 11 at San Felasco Hammock

Training for our long walk in May, we've been taking long hikes. Today we did a six mile walk at San Felasco Hammock. As always, the place served up many delights.

Several small fringetrees (Chionanthus virginicus) near the parking lot were in blossom

The area's many flowering dogwoods (Cornus florida) had mostly lost their blossoms, and in places the trail was littered with white petals. One small tree, pictured below is evidently a late bloomer.

Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)

One upland area had experienced a controlled burn. The fire appeared to have been a hot one that was effective in killing most invading deciduous trees.

Dead Carolina cherry (Prunus caroliniana) trees in burned area

Despite appearing to have been completely consumed by fire, young longleaf pines (Pinus palustris) survived.

Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) seedling

On the left is turkey oak (Quercus laevis), another fire tolerant tree

Rusty Blackhaw

This little tree is called rusty blackhaw (Viburnum rufidulum). It has dark, shiny green leaves. How puzzling, I thought. Nothing about is looks rusty, and how did it ever get that name?

Problem solved? The photo was taken early March here in Florida, and perhaps it is the new spring foliage that gives it its name. That's possible, although some accounts mention brilliant red fall coloration.