We are back here again, to where the pines and firs once more take over the landscape, their green the only color that does not speak of death or dying. For the next few months, they will dominate, the tallest among them defying even winter’s blast and her universal coverage of most of what we see along the ground as different values of white. They will continue to assert themselves each time the storm clouds part and the sun reappears and will serve as safe havens for those birds that do not fly south each year and that need protection against elements that are capable of making a quick end to even the hardiest among them.
Maine is known for its evergreens, its firs, spruces and balsams, its pines, tamaracks and hemlocks. Unlike their deciduous counterparts, evergreens have an ingenious way of preserving their green color all year long, shedding some of their dead leaves ”“ or needles ”“ almost constantly as new ones continue to emerge. Unlike the leaves of oaks or maples, pine and fir needles have a thick waxy coating on them that greatly reduces the amount of moisture lost during transpiration, or the releasing of water through their pores. They are thus able, in conjunction with water, to continue manufacturing chlorophyll that is stored in cells for food production, and the sap within each twig and needle thickens to the point where it prevents what little water is available from freezing. What this means is that evergreens produce their own antifreeze, which keeps things moving year-round, and even during the coldest winter months.
Different areas of York County lend themselves more readily to certain species of pines, such as parts of Newfield and Shapleigh, where pitch pines thrive, their horizontal contorted branches extending outward from short, rough-barked trunks near gravel pits across the sandy barrens. In other more lush areas occupied by a mix of evergreens and deciduous trees, eastern white pines abound, with the patriarchs among them often towering over other trees, including the tiny struggling saplings of their own kind that stand in their shadows, dreaming of bigger and better things.
Of the several species of spruce trees that grow statewide, York County is home to the black and red species. The black spruce, along with its cousin the balsam fir, is best known to most of us when we think of Christmas trees, as their short, stiff branches loaded with highly fragrant needles lend themselves nicely to supporting strings of lights and cradling shiny ornaments. The farther north you travel in Maine, the denser the natural stands of red and black spruce become amidst the pines, maples, oaks and birch.
The eastern hemlock, often in the news recently because of its troubles with the woolly adelgid, a tiny insect that destroys the trees by sucking the sap from their needles, is also a common sight in these parts. Damaged hemlock needles turn grayish-green before falling off. If the problem is severe, the trees weaken and become susceptible to invasions by other insects and disease. In time, a strong enough breeze can topple diseased hemlocks. Fortunately, efforts to control the spread of the disease are ongoing and will hopefully avert the mass demise of these gentle trees with their softly drooping branches.
It’s almost winter again, that time when we react the most strongly to the challenges and irritations that the seasons provide. Fortunately, nature doesn’t let us down even then, as the bright greens of the pines, spruces and firs can attest to as they prevail courageously against the elements.
— Rachel Lovejoy, a freelance writer living in Lyman, who enjoys exploring the woods of southern Maine, can be reached via email at rachell1950@yahoo.com.
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