What is it Wednesday: January 6, 2021

 

Can you identify what's in this photo?

 

 

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

 

 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

 

 

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

 after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 

on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

we will be reposting old editions,

creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on

January 6, 2021. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

 

 

These are the catkins of an alder shrub along the edge of Miller Lake.

Catkins are types of flowers that form on some trees. The elongated catkins in the background of this photo are the male catkins/flowers, and the rounder shorter ones in the front are the female catkins/flowers. In alders, the female catkins are sometimes referred to as cones because of their shape and woody texture.

Other common trees in our area that develop catkins are oaks (male only, female flower a different shape) and birches (male and female catkins). Pussy willows are also catkins.

Alders are commonly found near streams, rivers, and wetlands, and are a pioneer shrub that moves readily into disturbed ground. They also have a symbiotic fungus in their root systems that brings nitrogen from the air and fixes it in the soil (similar to how beans do this in gardens), meaning alders add nutrients to the soil they grow in. Smooth alder and speckled alder are native to eastern north America, and naturalized European or black alder is also common. Black alder is more tree-like than shrub-like, and the female catkins of speckled alder droop, meaning this is probably smooth alder in this photo.

Catkins like the ones that stay on alders are more noticeable this time of year, when deciduous trees are bare of leaves and there aren’t many “flashy” sights to catch our eyes in nature. Take a look around this winter and see what you can spot in nature in this season!

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!