| The sweet pleasures of Sweet Gum IT’S SNOWING, for crying out loud! It seems as though expect them to reach no more it was just yesterday when everyone was praising the weather — what happened? This should be the season of jack-o-lanterns and linen ghosts. I was hoping 1 would have at least - another two or three weeks of that -wonderful Indian summer weather to accompany an article or two on ‘ fail color. On looking out the ‘window, I realize I will have no - such luck; unless of course the . color intended is white. Better late than never. This is , the story of the Sweet Gum. No, -it’s not about some toothless old dude with a penchant for salt ': - water candy —- I refer instead to the-colorful tree known botanical- .. ly as the liquidambar. / There are three species (possibly ‘four, depending on which mad - Dotanist you are speaking to) of - this well-travelled family or genus. _ZIt-is unusual to have siblings from < +such widely dispersed areas as <,°»China (. formosana), Asia Minor (i. -orientalis) and Eastern North America (1. stryaciflua). . AS a group, they most closely ‘resemble the maple (acer), having Geoff Tobiasson ‘OVER THE GARDEN GATE bark of most varieties of lig- uidambar is exceptionally rough and corky in ‘appearance when compared to that of the maple’s. The most commonly planted . liquidambar is I. stryaciflua and '. 46 Their preference for deep, Slightly acid soils makes them good candidates for most regions. of the Pacific Northwest. 99 same three to seven lobed S}eaves and even similar in their display. Gf fall color. They can easily be. distinguished, however, - their. Ieaves which appear lternately along the stem rather han ,opposed, as in the case of ythe maple. | ‘There are other methods of tell- ing the two apart: the flowers of ‘some of. the maple can be quite “showy in spring while the Sweet “Gum's are virtually invisible. The its various hybrid forms. As men- tioned, it is a native of the moist but not swampy regions of the. Southeastern states and is also: found in areas of Mexico and Guatemala. Even though these domains have little in common with the Pacific Northwest, they are considered more than hardy for our area. In their native climate, these trees regularly reach heights of 125 feet or more, but here I would It’s a bloomin’ bargain! 1-Doz. Roses ‘ ' CASH & CARRY ’ FEATURING varieties of _ fresh cut flowers _,at wholesale prices e roses carnations _ mini-carns . & other varieties when available va -. Fresh Cut Flowers. “| 992 Marine Drive, North Vancouver facross from the Avalon Hovel) Open Mon-Sat. 10-6 985-7673 » 985-ROSE Sunday 12-5pm than 50 or 60 feet. The maximum spread attained here might reach spans of 15 or 20 feet, but not much more. Its maple-like leaves have five to seven lobes, are five to seven inches long and wide and maintain a smooth, almost shiny top sur- face while being slightly hairy below. They emerge as mid-green in spring and quickly deepen to an attractive, rich dark green from then until late September. It is in the fall, however, that these trees really begin to demand some justified attention. The trily spectacular colors can range f:om deep purple through red, then on into orange and bright yellow. Of the hybrid forms, I believe /. styracifluaa ‘‘Palo Alto’’ is the variety most likely to display well in our area. Its vibrantly colorful show ranges from orange-red to bright red in fail. Another less easily obtainable form is Ls. “Worplesdon,’’ which produces amazing displays of rich apricot and orange shades at this time of the year. Although I.s ‘‘Festival’’ is noted for its cheery yellow, peach, pink, orange and red fall exhibition, if you are looking for something to fit in a tight spot, this might be just the one. Its narrow, columnar habit makes: it the perfect can- didate for a sunny, constricted location. The fall leaf color presented by most of our trees and shrubs is generally dependent on the type of weather we have had over the closing days of summer and early fall. The hotter and drier the weather the more sugars and star- ches are produced. These are re- tained and become the pigments on which our colorful displays are based. For the best results and most colorful displays, give the Sweet Gums as much sun as you can and x ‘n’ Blocks carries a a tange of | ieskon WESTCON INTERLOCKING PAVERS IN A MYRIAD OF STYLES & COLOURS TO SUIT ANY DECOR $ plant them in moist but well- drained locations. Their prefer- ence for deep, slightly acid soils makes them good candidates for most regions of the Pacific Nor- thwest. This can be problematical, however, when they are being considered for shallow, lime-laden environments such as concrete planters. So why Sweet Gum? I thought you would never ask. The name comes from the tree’s production of a fragrant resin (sap) which is collected and con- centrated into ‘‘gums’’ and sold as American storax and/or liquid storax. These were then used me- dicinally in cough remedies and to treat skin ailments-and as a per- fume for soaps and such. The wood is also highly prized and very expensive. Known com- mercially as “satin walnut,” it is used for furniture, cabinet-making and veneer. Just think, plant a few trees today and sell them off for profit in the future, like a green RRSP. So here is the scam: plant 10 or 12 figuidambars around the yard and then file for some of the tax breaks given to those engaging in forestry and agriculture. If you can’t manage to bring a little more color into the tax man’s life, you should certainly brighten up your own. NV artist highlights North. Shore’ heritage TODAY’S News introduces the first in a series of heritage sketches by North Vancouver artist and art teacher Dorothy Foster. The pen and ink drawings will appear regularly in Fri- day’s News and feature heritage homes and buildings around the North Shore. Foster, who is married and has three sons, has been a North Vancouver resident for 20 years. She has a Bachelor of Sec- ondary Education from the University of British Columbia and is an art specialist. Her background includes painting, drawing, ceramics and the graphic arts. At UBC she was most influ- enced by the highly respected artist and educator, Sam Black. Since graduating from UBC, 132. Pressure Treated Wood 8x4" ROUGH 4 fannseeee$ ACROSS’ FROM 4 xi?” 2x12" vATIO SLABS @. 0 B.C RAIL STATION | Foster has taught art in Prince Rupert and in North Van- couver. She has also freelanced in - commercial art for a national food manufacturer and local . retailers. Living in the Upper Lonsdale. area, which is one of the prime heritage sites on the North Shore, has inspired Foster’s in- terest in the architecture and. style of the community’s carly homes. She says it- is important ‘to encourage public awareness and appreciation for such heritage buildings and the need : for their preservation: in addition to her ‘sketches, . Foster is compiling a collection’ of iarger pieces -which she’ hopes to exhibit in the near future. rie me SLABS 89a ment 88 an We cerry a great selection of planters in. concrete, clay and wood - all at great savings! "1371 MtKeen Avér, . N.Van: - 984-3008'