Jim Caldwell snapped this picture last week, commenting, “The Hiwassee Church casts a beautiful reflection at midmorning when the river is at low flow.”
The long-awaited book is an update of the very popular “Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests: A Field Guide for Identification and Control,” published by the Station in 2003.
Cardinal flowers are in bloom, as evidenced by this specimen found on Towee mountain.
The Windmill Palm, or Trachycarpus fortune, is an excellent choice for those who want a tropical feel in their landscape, but who don’t have the luxury of a year-round tropical climate. This selection is very cold-hardy – a specimen in the UT Gardens shows no damage after an extended period of below-freezing temperatures.
This attractive palm has large fan-shaped leaves that spread out from a single stem or trunk. It can reach 20-40 feet in the landscape, and trunk growth of up to a foot a year has been reported. The trunk is covered with a coarse mat made of the leaf bases which remain on the stem even after the leaf has fallen away. The Windmill Palm is ‘dioecious’, meaning that it has separate male and female plants. Each bear large panicles of flowers in the spring. Female plants will develop yellow to blue-black fruits that ripen in autumn.
Native to mountainous areas of Asia, the Windmill Palm has been cultivated extensively for centuries. The leaf sheath fiber of this plant is extremely strong, and it has been used for making ropes, sacks and coarse cloth. Throughout the world, it is highly sought-after by palm enthusiasts as an ornamental. In the United States, it has become a popular landscape specimen in much of the southeast as well as mild areas on the east and west coasts.
Windmill palms prefer a fertile, well-drained soil but can tolerate other conditions so long as it is not in a continuously soggy site. It will do well in part-shade to full sun. It can even be planted in containers. If planting in Zone 7 or above, a sheltered site is recommended. Once established, specimens are fairly drought tolerant, although growth will slow. They are also wind and salt tolerant, which make them suitable for coastal plantings.
The pictured cultivar, ‘Bulgaria’ tends to have smaller leaves and a tighter habit than the species. It has been propagated from specimens in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, which have survived repeated exposures to temperatures as low as 0 degrees F. Other forms and related species are commercially available as well. The ‘Taylor form’, for example, has very droopy leaf tips, while T. nanus is a dwarf form. Any of these would bring that distinctive tropical feel to your landscape, although they do have some variability in cold hardiness.
Beth Willis is the UT Gardens Trials Coordinator. The University of Tennessee Gardens located in Knoxville and Jackson are part of the UT Institute of Agriculture. Their mission is to foster appreciation, education and stewardship of plants through garden displays, collections, educational programs and research trials. The gardens are open during all seasons and free to the public. Online at http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/.
The Polk County Planning Commission voted last month to send a letter of intent to call in the remaining $24,000 of the road bond for Phase V of Ocoee Mountain Club.
State-of-the-art mapping technology is located in every ambulance now that Rural/Metro has takesnover, thanks to the foresight of the Polk County 911 Board.
The McMinn County Living Heritage Museum’s iconic schoolhouse quilt has been replicated on an 8-foot-square block and installed above the museum’s front entrance as part of the Appalachian Quilt Trail program.
After the social hour and meal the business session was held and several important items were discussed, including the selection of the 2010 scholarship recipient from Polk County High School.
Polk County High School students put their skills and talents together at the National Technology Students Association Conference and came away as National Champs in the On-Demand Video Competition.
The Museum Center is pleased to host an exhibition that looks at the history of the fraternal lodges in Bradley County and the impact that they have made on the development of our area.
The Bonnie Blues 956 Chapter of the Children of the Confederacy made a trip to Franklin, Tennessee on June 18 and 19 to attend the Tennessee Division Convention.
The long-awaited book is an update of the very popular “Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests: A Field Guide for Identification and Control,” published by the Station in 2003.
How effective have plastic bag bans and restrictions been on reducing plastic litter and other problems associated with their proliferation? And is it really better to use paper bags, which will just lead to more deforestation?
Wildlife linkages can have a significant impact on decreasing animal deaths on roadways as well as highway safety, according to An Assessment of Wildlife and Aquatic Habitat Linkages.
A pair of juvenille White Ibis have been visiting the East Tennessee Nursery during the last two weeks ... seemingly content to feed on the abundant Junebug population.
Jim Caldwell snapped this picture last week, commenting that he couldn't believe he saw something so unusual as a deer grazing in the middle of the Hiwassee River.
Subscriber Carol Cooper captured what appears to be a special moment between two cardinals at about 7:15 last Wednesday morning at Campbell Cove Lake in Turtletown.
A group of Copper Basin High School students learned about environmental cleanup, the importance of clean water and the history of copper mining during Earth Day activities hosted by Glenn Springs Holdings.
The new, easier-to-use site provides new ways to explore Living Heritage Museum’s current and upcoming exhibitions, its programs and events, and detailed information about the Museum and its collection.
The Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association (TOHA) hopes to capitalize on that trend by promoting driving tours that link the Cherohala Skyway and Ocoee Scenic Byway.
Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture Officials report that three American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus) funded projects in the Cherokee National Forest were recently completed.
Each year, the State of Tennessee Department of Tourist Development publishes a Vacation Guide that includes a collection of Tennessee’s finest communities.
A Tennessee Overhill trail will be included in the initiative, and the Cherohala Skyway between Monroe County and North Carolina is included in the byways section.
Linda Caldwell, executive director of the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Tourisim Association, is helping to coordinate the local effort under the state guidelines.
In addition to destroying part of the county’s major highway, last week’s rockslide also damaged the county’s major tourism infrastructure – the whitewater rafting put-in.
Governor Phil Bredesen today announced the 2010 Back to School CoverKids outreach campaign to help enroll Tennessee’s children in the state’s free, comprehensive health insurance plan.
A man claiming to be a representative of Volunteer Energy Cooperative (VEC) telephoned at least two Meigs County residents early Wednesday morning attempting to get money.
The Department of Revenue is reminding Tennessee shoppers that during these three days of savings, you can save almost 10 percent on tax-free clothing, school and art supplies and computer purchases.
Volunteer Energy Cooperative (VEC) officials were recently alerted of a person trying to gain access to a VEC customer’s home by claiming to be an employee of “the electric company.”
In fact, due to ARRA incentives, initial federal data shows the average tax refund for 2009 is up nearly 10 percent, or $266, from the previous year, according to Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Doug Shulman.
While the economy slowly recovers, many budget-conscious homeowners are looking for simple, cost-effective ways to transform their homes' exteriors into inviting outdoor "land-escapes" that can be enjoyed year around.
Dear EarthTalk: I see a lot of “healthy snacks” being marketed for kids that list “natural flavors” but don’t identify them. Should I use these products?
Flowers and plants are blooming, the sun is shining and the weather is finally getting warmer after winter's chill. So why not bring some of spring's beauty into your home so you can enjoy it day after day?
Reports from across the nation indicate fake agents and sales representatives are going door-to-door claiming to be with the federal government to peddle phony health insurance policies.
At a Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission meeting, action was taken which reduced the bear archery season to three weeks from the originally proposed five week season.
The second Kid’s Fishing Day, hosted by TWRA, Forest Service and the Cherokee Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, will be at McCamy Lake in the Chilhowee Recreation Area on May 15th, 8 am-12 pm.
An economic benefit study of trout fishing in Tennessee showed total expenditures of $1.5 million for the Hiwassee River during a 6-month period in 2002.
What many consider the "King of American Game Birds", the wild turkey is quite vocal during the spring breeding season. The call (gobble) of the wild turkey in the mountains of east Tennessee is an unforgettable sound.
TWRA officials met with the county’s Fish & Wildlife Committee and more than a dozen citizens to discuss the planning process for a new five-year management plan for the river.
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