This past winter was especially difficult for the deer population due to lack of acorns. Last year the 17 year locust emerged. Mating takes place in the trees after which the female cuts "V" shaped notches into the tender tree tips and lays her fertilized eggs. The new born nymphs drop to the ground after a couple of months, and the tree tips usually die - hence no acorns in the fall. Starving deer will eat almost anything, and in our neck of the woods they took a particular liking to our many rhododendron plants. Sadly, only one plant had a few blooms.
This tree is a mystery to us, but it seems to be in the dogwood family. However, the green leaves come out first, then the four petal flowers with a green ball center. The flowers continue to grow until the tree looks like a mound of snow, after which the flowers brown and fall off. In the autumn, the green ball centers turn red.
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