Don’t be a sap. I have been a sap all my life. I’ve always kind of shrugged it off when I was called a sap. No one ever told me what it meant. To me, I just accepted the fact that I was a sap.
According to Urban Dictionary, the word “sap” is rarely a good thing. You can be sapped of your energy. If someone calls you a sap it can suggest lack of strength and character. Man, that’s harsh. Sap is also an acronym for Systems, Applications and Products. That’s boring. For me, if you call me a sap, I go personal with it. I’ve been a sap all my life and will be a sap until the day I die.
Sap is an acronym for Scott Allen Paris. Thanks Mom. Not your fault, Mom. You couldn’t think of all these things.
On the brighter side of things, sap is the lifeblood of a tree. You can say that the blood flowing through our bodies is sap. And for that matter, the oxygen we breath could be sap.
So, what is sap? Have you ever thought about it much? The sap of a tree consists primarily of water, hormones, minerals and nutrients. And, yes, like everything in life, there is sugar. Sap is the fluid that transports nutrients around the tree.
Most tree saps are either bitter or poisonous. Next time you drizzle maple syrup on your waffles remember it comes from a tree. Pine sap is highly flammable and it makes turpentine. Thanks Nature for giving us turpentine.
So, what makes leaves red or turn color for that matter? Weather certainly affects color intensity. Temperature, light, water supply. All these things have an influence. Rain or overcast tend to increase fall colors. As the seasons change from summer to winter amazing chemical changes take place. During the spring and summer the leaves serve as factories, where the foods necessary for the tree are produced. The food making process takes place within the leaves in cells containing chlorophyll. This extraordinary chemical absorbs from sunlight the energy that transforms carbon dioxide and water to carbohydrates such as sugars and starch.
In a leaf there are oranges, yellows and reds that are masked by great amounts of green coloring. As the chlorophyll (the green color) breaks down, the unmasking of the colors underneath unfolds. Nature’s paint pallet. That’s about as simple as I can make it. Anything beyond this explanation, I’m afraid you’re just going to tune out.
Acer ‘Autumn Flame’
Acer ‘October Glory’
Acer palmatum ‘Pine Bark’
Don’t be a fussy sap. A red is a red is a red. Okay, Pine Bark is orange.
Every year everybody goes nuts over October Glory because of the red fall color. The Acer rubrum ‘October Glory’ is an elbow thrower. It can be a BIG tree. Personally, I think it’s overrated. Personally, I like Autumn Flame or Redpointe. Red is red is red. Quit being fussy.
Redpointe is a beautiful tree with a nice compact shape that still puts the shade where you need it. Other Acer rubrums such as Autumn Fantasy and Autumn Blaze perform almost exactly the same. I think the red in these trees can be even more intense than October Glory.
Don’t be fussy. Come to the nursery and pick the perfect shade tree. Now is an excellent time to pick a tree and experience your first whiff of its fall color.
Looking for a fall wreath to go with your fall colored tree? Sign up for one of Dory’s classes.
Would you like to create your own Harvest Wreath? Join us Saturday, October 6th by clicking here for tickets.
Here’s all the information you need to know.
Looking for a fall Pumpkulent to go with your fall colored tree? Then sign up for Dory’s Pumpkulent class.
Saturday, October 13th, Pumpkulents. What’s a Pumpkulent?
This is a Pumpkulent. A great holiday centerpiece can be yours. Enjoy the Autumn season by creating a beautiful centerpiece for your holiday table. We supply everything you need including treats and mimosas. Class is $65 plus tax. Sign up for one of the following classes:
Click here to sign up for Saturday, October 13th, 2018, between 10 and 12.
Click here to sign up for Saturday October 27th, 2018, between 10 and 12.
Click here to sign up for Saturday November 3rd, 2018, between 10 and 12.
Or sign up by checking out our classes and workshop page.
Now, the wine and the dogs. Saturday, November 3rd at 5:30 p.m.
I don’t necessarily think of wine when I think of dogs. But since we serve spirits at High-Hand Nursery, we break out the vino whenever we can.
Join us for an evening with Major David Holen, Army Retired. He will speak on behalf of K9s for Warriors. We’ll have amazing pups for adoption at the kissing booth. Tickets are $25. Hors d’oeuvres and spirits available. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here. Proceeds will benefit K9s for Warriors and Pets for Vets.
Name Your Own Price Sale update. We haven’t had anybody camp out by the front gate trying to be the first in line to name their own price, but early bird gets the worm. Date and time to be announced.
Fall color is coming. Come check out our Redpointes.
See you at High-Hand Nursery.