Norway Spruce
Norway Spruce - Picea abiesThis tree is located in between the pond and the parking lot, close to where the disc golf course ends. It is native to the mountains of northern and central Europe, east to the Urals. It can be found in forests, shrublands thickets, and manmade/disturbed habitats. In this case, it used to be a part of a thick forest but now is a part of a man-made habitat. This species sticks out to me because of its beautiful horizontal weeping branches. Another awesome thing about it is its easy to tell what this tree is because of its large cones.
Sweet Fern
Sweet Fern ~ Comptonia peregrinaThis species was located near a sandy patch of land a little deeper in the woods. it's easy to find them by following the orange trail marker down the trails by the disc golf course. I wanted to point this species out to note the importance of the scientific name regarding taxonomy. Also since it's a part of the bayberry family (family Myricaceae), it is technically not a fern. This species also stuck out to me because of its catkins
Red Maple
Red Maple ~ Acer rubrumThis tree is located a little bit past a wooden bridge leading deeper down the yellow trail marker by the disc golf course. Native to North America and can generally be found along forests, meadows, fields, shores of rivers or lakes, swamps, edges of wetlands, and woodlands. The reason I included this species is that it is one of the first trees I learned to ID, it can generally always be found in swamps and also is one of the first trees to begin dormancy and show fall colors when autumn comes around.
Fox Grape
Fox Grape ~ Vitus labruscaThis vine is located right next to the wooden bridge, actually using a low-growing white pine as support! if you look around from the bridge it's easy to spot berry clusters. This species can generally be found on forest edges, forests, meadows, and fields, shores of rivers or lakes, and is native to North America. I chose to include this because I never knew that this was really just a kind of grape and is edible! It can actually grow up to 40 ft long believe it or not.
Box Elder
Box Elder ~ Acer negundoThis tree was found right on the edge of where some construction was done and was tilted to the side slightly. If you go to the right of the turf field by the water it's easy to spot and it's actually a native here in Massachusetts. This species is interesting to me because of its leaves (and sap) in particular. It's leaves resemble those of an ash tree but it's comical since it's really a part of the maples. Sometimes the sap can be used to make maple syrup as well but it doesn't come out as sweet as sugar maples.
Sweet Pepper Bush
Sweet Pepper Bush ~ Clethra alnifoliaPepper bush is native to Eastern North America, along the coast from Maine to Florida and west to Texas. It can generally be found on ridges or ledges, shores of rivers or lakes, swamps, woodlands, and especially roadsides around this part of Massachusetts. What sticks out about this species is that even though it grows in shade most of the time, It's still able to have such a late bloom in the season-opening up to its raceme inflorescence.
Eastern White Pine
Eastern White Pine ~ Pinus strobusThis tree can be found about anywhere and everywhere around here. Soft, thin, needles clustered in bundles of 5 are a key characteristic of this tree. This species can be located in any of the woods around is actually the state tree of Maine (and Michigan). It's native to the northeastern US and Canada and is typically growing in forests and woodlands. This species sticks out to me because I always remember having a huge white pine right next to my parent's house growing up, more than twice the size of the house. Unfortunately, it had to be taken down because of the risk it posed to the house, but I'll always remember coming outside after storms and seeing branches snapped on our lawn!
Creeping Juniper
Creeping Juniper ~ Juniperus horizontalis Creeping Juniper is native to Alaska, Canada, the northern U.S and can be typically found growing in rocky or sandy soils including rock outcroppings, stony slopes, coastal cliffs, prairies, sand dunes, and stream banks. You can find Creeping juniper all in front of the smaller building next to Innovation Academy, with various other common nursery or landscaping plants. It's an excellent ground cover and really sticks out to me because of the dark blue berries it can grow. I never noticed berries on them before taking these pictures, and it's good to know the birds like them! Also, the branches can be used to build nests.
American Beech
American Beech ~ Fagus grandifoliaThis tree can be located right by the parking lot going to the real turfgrass soccer field. It can be found typically growing in deciduous or mixed evergreen-deciduous forests. In the wild, beeches often form thickets or colonies by suckering from the shallow roots. This tree is important to me because its various features really make it stick out in any forest or landscape. Its smooth, light gray bark is the first key takeaway. Next is its nut which has involucre bracts which are modified leaflets that grow at the base of an inflorescence or flower (similar to the cap on an acorn!). Also birds eat the nuts.One important thing to note about this species, in particular, is that it is currently falling victim to a fungus called Nectria. Nectria fungus blisters the bark and weakens the tree. Con you spot the fungus on the pictures?
Common Apple
Common Apple ~ Malus pumilaCommon Apple is actually introduced to North America and can be found in abandoned fields, orchards, and along forest edges. This particular tree can be found close to the entrance of the property, somewhat in between the road and the school, right behind the house by the property. This species sticks out to me for a few different reasons. First off, it produces so many apples. Another reason is that identifying this species helped me learn the difference between crab apples and regular apples! Two ways to distinguish an apple from a crab apple is that an apple is 2 to 4 inches and the leaves only have hairs on the undersides while crab apples are under 2 inches and the leaves have hairs on both sides.
Japanese Maple
Japenese Maple ~ Acer palmatumThis tree is classically used as an ornamental showy tree and was found to the left of the main entrance of the school, by the big flight of stairs. It's native to Japan, Korea, and China and can be found growing around forest edges, forests, meadows, fields, and manmade/disturbed habitats. All of its ornamental qualities stick out to me. Its iconic leaves and the red samaras stick out, in contrast to its vase-shaped trunk pattern with its thin and smooth bark. Underneath the tree, it states "Dedicated to Significant Growth Through Learning" 1997 ~ Boston University School of Learning.Around 2010 is when Boston University sold this campus to what's known today as Innovation Academy or The Charter Schools.
Boxwood
European Box ~ Buxus sempervirensThis species can be found right in front of the school, to the left of the stairs. It is a common plant used in the landscaping industry but is primarily found in open woodlands and rocky hillsides. It's native in southern Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia. What sticks out to me about this species is that even though it can grow anywhere between 15 to 20 ft tall, I have only ever seen it less than 5 ft max, more than likely due to pruning.
English Holly
English Holly ~ Ilex aquifoliumThis Holly can be found to the right of the front staircase at Innovation Academy. English Holly is introduced to North America and is native to Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa.Its generally found in forests, swamps, edges of wetlands, and manmade/disturbed habitats. This species is one of my favorites because the red berries are really apparent in contrast to the dark smooth leaves with somewhat sharp teeth. Even though the berries are poisonous to humans and pets, the leaves and roots are medicinal and can be used to treat fevers and coughs.
Golden Bell
Golden Bell ~ Forsythia suspensaThis forsythia could be planted just like any other hedge and would be located to the right of the stairs, next to the other part of the building on the right in a mulched bed. Golden bell is native to China and can be found along roadsides, forest borders, fields, and manmade/disturbed habitats. It's popularly planted in North America for its arching branches that bear numerous yellow flowers. One thing I love about this species is that it's a very early blooming species and if the branches droop down enough to touch the ground, it has the ability to form roots that can spread the plant if desired.
Burning Bush
Burning Bush ~ Euonymus alatusThis Burning Bush would be found by the forsythia and could be used as a contrasting fall foliage ornamental. It was originally imported to the US in 1860 as an ornamental shrub but sadly it spreads rapidly and is now found along roadsides, forests edges, meadows, fields, shrublands, or thickets. In Massachusetts, it's considered invasive while in Maine, it's actually prohibited. This is one of my favorite trees because I've seen it a lot around Massachusetts and even though birds can easily spread the seeds, I really have come to appreciate the red autumn foliage on it.
Pathway and Boulder Photos
Northern Red Oak
Red Oak ~ Quercus rubraThis tree would be found in a small old cemetery nearby, down a trail through the woods near the school. It's a very common species of oak found in New England. It was once defoliated by gypsy moths but has been partially controlled by a bacterium. In the wild, it can be in any forest or woodland. This is one of my favorite oaks because of its separate male and female catkins appearing around springtime. A benefit of this species is it serves its function as a dwelling for raccoons and other mammals and provides acorns as a food source.
Jonothan Tyngs Grave
Snowmound Spiraea
Snowmound Spiraea ~ Spiraea nipponica This Snowmound would be found in the cemetery down a wooded path from the school. It is generally propagated by root cuttings and is a common landscaping plant, fitting for a cemetery because it's not really ornamental, besides its white inflorescences. What I like about this shrub is its subtle green to yellowish-green autumn color and its branches forming a vased to arching growth pattern.
Rum Cherry
Rum Cherry ~ Prunus serotinaAlthough the one pictured is young, Rum Cherry is native to would be found in deciduous mixed evergreen-deciduous forests, riparian terraces, roadsides, floodplains, sometimes wetlands, and manmade/disturbed habitats. One of my favorite things about this species is that if you scratch the bark it can release a pungent aroma, which is apparently hydrocyanic (prussic) acid. The cherries produced are an important food source for bird species, and people have traditionally used them to flavor rum and brandy. One issue is that the leaves are poisonous to cattle and other animals though.
Mansion Landmark
European Beech
European Beech ~ Fagus sylvaticaThis tree would be located close to in front of what's left of the old Tyng Mansion, toward the end of Tyng road, and to the right of the last parking lot. This tree would be at this particular spot because of how common it was for European settlers to plant this species. It can generally be found in forests, forest edges, and manmade/disturbed habitats. This is one of my favorite trees because of the insane diameter of the crown, smooth bark, and the interesting reddish coppery bronze leaves. I initially thought it was an American Beech but after noticing the differences in leaf structure I'm fairly certain it's European Beech. The crown makes you wonder how old this tree really is, and all the history it's lived through.
Old Tyng Mansion
White Birch
White Birch ~ Betula papyriferaThis White or Paper Birch would be found on what was once a forest edge near the edge of the road, to the right of the main entrance of the school. White birch is native to North America and can commonly be found in terrestrial habitats, deciduous and mixed evergreen-deciduous forests, and sometimes in wetlands. What I like about this species is its thin and smooth white bark. It sticks out so much due to its white bark, especially when it's peeling and has some ornamental value.
FIN
https://innovationonearth.com/2015/11/23/the-legacy-of-jonathan-tyng-and-wannalancet/https://random-times.com/2019/08/31/the-mysteries-of-colonel-jonathan-tyng-house-in-tyngsborough-massachusetts/
