# One source during a dearth



## AdamBeal (Aug 28, 2013)

Wondering if anyone has any idea what this tree is. Most of them in my yard are short but some maybe 20 ft tall. The bees and other pollinators are all over it since it is the only thing around right now.

























Just trying to learn I figured someone here knows. Thanks for the help!

Adam


----------



## Rusty Hills Farm (Mar 24, 2010)

Looks like it might be one of the sumacs.

Rusty


----------



## AdamBeal (Aug 28, 2013)

Thanks Rusty I looked it up looks like it is called Winged Sumac! Bees love it thats for sure. 

Hi Manda!


----------



## stan.vick (Dec 19, 2010)

It is winged sumac and I have been trying to get more of it started around my area, some facts I have found. The seeds need to go through the digestive tract of a bird or animal before they can germinate, and fire can also activate germination. Since I can't just plant it, I have taken to scattering it around the open edges, with some but not overwhelming success. If it is cut back it will send up more shoots the next year. After getting started it will develop dense thickets and will die out after ten or fifteen years. I like it most because it blooms during my dearth and seems to provide copious amounts of nectar when hardly any other exist. The bloom dates must proceed from north to south like goldenrod since it won't bloom here for a couple of weeks.


----------



## Santa Caras (Aug 14, 2013)

Came upon this today on coastal Florida. I THINK it's Jatropha plant. Correct me if Im wrong. Bees were really working it.


----------



## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

stan.vick said:


> It is winged sumac and I have been trying to get more of it started around my area, some facts I have found. The seeds need to go through the digestive tract of a bird or animal before they can germinate, and fire can also activate germination. Since I can't just plant it, I have taken to scattering it around the open edges, with some but not overwhelming success. If it is cut back it will send up more shoots the next year. After getting started it will develop dense thickets and will die out after ten or fifteen years. I like it most because it blooms during my dearth and seems to provide copious amounts of nectar when hardly any other exist. The bloom dates must proceed from north to south like goldenrod since it won't bloom here for a couple of weeks.


You could always eat the seeds, if they don't germinate, you might have to run em through a second time lol seriously though you can acid scarify them or take hardwood cuttings http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=RHCO


----------



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

There are alternatives to ... uhhh ... _recycling waste_ ... to enhance seed germination. Page 136 of this Forest Service publication offers some good advice on seed _scarification_.
http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_other/wo_AgricHandbook730/wo_AgricHandbook727_133_151.pdf

I had germination failures with _vitex negundo_ seeds until I soaked them in a glass of water for 2-3 days prior to planting. That was before I knew of more formal methods.


But sometimes you just _gotta do what it takes _to get seeds to germinate. :lookout: I have put small pots with dirt and lettuce seeds in my _refrigerator _to get them to germinate in hot weather. (OK, I wussied out and put them in plastic bags first.)


----------



## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

sounds like the best way is with cuttings if you want to learn about cuttings go to http://freeplants.com/hardofdecid.htm


----------



## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

Adambeal, would you be willing to sell a bundle of cuttings once it goes dormant ? If so send me a pm and we can work out the details I don't know how to initiate a pm from the mobile site on my phone


----------



## Santa Caras (Aug 14, 2013)

stan.vick said:


> The seeds need to go through the digestive tract of a bird or animal before they can germinate.


Mix those seeds with the wildbird seed n put it in your bird feeder. 
One thing I noticed is birds hang out in the same area for a period so tween the 2mile marker for bees n the birds in around the same area, (doubt they'd leave if the feeders are a food source for em) wherever these seeds fall, your bees may well benefit.


----------



## stan.vick (Dec 19, 2010)

Thanks everyone for the info, I didn't intend to take over the thread, but will try the recommendations ( some of them anyway )


----------



## AdamBeal (Aug 28, 2013)

Sure Harley I can send you some. This stuff is all over our back yard and I just thought it was some kind of invasive or something. There are probably about 10 good size trees of it. I cut down a couple before I found out it bloomed and the bees were on it. Here are some more pics you can see it looks like most of the bees are getting an orange pollen from it right now. Lots of other other pollinators on it you can't see good in the pics but it is covered in what we call "sweat bees" also:


----------



## threepingsthree (Mar 3, 2014)

I'd like some cuttings as well, I wouldn't mind paying to have them shipped. Seems like a good choice, and a fairly attractive plant


----------

