Barbara Hart Radisavljevic
I have been photographing this tree at Larry Moore Park in Paso Robles for over ten years now. The introductory photo was taken in April, 2015, as the tree was beginning to leaf out again. Every year more of this tree seems to break off during storms. After every storm it seems new branches fall under it. Mistletoe attacks it regularly. Sometimes the mistletoe is the only green I see on it. But somehow the tree is still alive. I keep wondering how much longer it can last.
Here is a photo of the tree from August, 2004.
I had a much older camera back then so the details don’t show as well. But there are leaves, as well as mistletoe.
I took the photo below in December, 2010. I had a better camera by then. See how green the branches are? But the lower branch on the left is beginning to break off and die.
The photo below was taken in March, 2011. Back then the picnic table under it was still in one piece and usable. You can see the branches that have fallen from the tree still on the ground under it.
Below is the same tree in January, 2012. You can see that this park was not very well maintained.
By the time the photo below was taken in late December, 2013, a lot more of the tree is dying.
By August, 2014, the remaining branches are green again. We had more rain that year. But by October, in the photo below it, you can see what a difference the changing season made. A lot of the green has turned brown. You will also notice that the picnic table is no longer intact.
This is the same tree in October, 2015. At least one branch is still alive and green with leaves.
2016 was a very busy year with a lot of travel, so I didn’t get many chances to walk in this park that year. So no photos. But by 2017, I was back to my observation of this cottonwood tree. The photo below was taken at dusk in October, two years after that last photo. The dim light makes it hard to see much detail, but you can still see the shape and the dead branch underneath. It takes a long time for anyone to remove the fallen branches. You can also see that very little is left of the once intact picnic table.
The most recent photo of this tree was also taken at dusk. It was taken April 10, 2018. The tree has not yet begun to leaf out this year.
I’m hoping this tree will continue to survive, but every years it gets weaker. I’m sure the two-year drought we had harmed it, as it did many other trees. As you see, it’s had less branches leafing out each year.
What do you think? Will it survive another decade?
See the details for this challenge here. #justforfun7
I sincerely hope that this tree will last for another decade, but seeing this last photo, that option doesn’t look so promising. Nobody is taking care of this tree and that is obvious. But, who knows maybe someone will see the true beauty of it and help this tree.
I hope so. Right now the city just took ownership of the park. They are “improving” it. One of their plans is possibly to build a ballpark or parking lot where that tree is. If they do, I’m afraid they will think it’s time for the tree to go.
That was really amazing, to see this tree throughout so many years. Great post. I hope it continues to survive!
I hope so, too. I’d hate to walk by an empty place where it once was.
Great post! Nice picture!
Its a lovely tree. Trees survive with love and care. they need water, and attention and even feeding.
They will never get that care here. They don’t even do any weed abatement. They just fine the homeowners around the park if they don’t keep their weeds under control. At the park they want it to be more like wilderness and they let the thistles and poison hemlock grow over my head and reseed.
Last year the city took over the park and did trim the trees along the main paths and prune the rosemary and coyote brush back, and they do water the landscaping with drip. The trees have to accept whatever water nature gives them.
Our Auckland parks are very well cared for. However, in summer when we have a drought, the sheep suffer in Cornwall park. This year, there was enough grass for them all.
I guess its all about money. The rate payers pay for the up keep or those who rent properties.
It’s true that money has a lot to do with upkeep. The city has more money than the neighborhood had, so maybe they will care for the plants better. I wish they were not planning to develop the park so much with another ball field and parking lot. It will completely change the character of the park.
Thank you. I just can’t help photographing that tree every time I walk by it.
Wow what a journey you took us. I say it will survive another decade Love the tree!
I hope it will survive that long. It might if we don’t get another drought.
If there is rain, it will live. This tree has shown us all these years. How should we fight for our cure?
I will hope, then, that there is enough rain to keep it alive. It might do better if it were closer to the shore of the river.
The story of a tree losing ground wonderful!
I wonder if I will outlive the tree.
when I was 20 my father invited me out to their mini-farm for dinner on a saturday. He told me to come early. We ended up over the course of the next four weekends planting nearly 100 dwarf apple trees. We harvested and enjoyed those apples and pears until my parents sold the farm. A couple of years ago I drove by that old farm stead, just to see. All the apple tress were gone. It had been more than their life span (20-30 years) but it was depressing.
Perhaps that is what has happened to my apple trees. I don’t think of them having a life span, but we bought that property 26 years ago and we were the second owner after the original owner planted the trees. The walnut trees keep going.
We planted dwarf trees, they produce fruit quicker and don’t live as long.