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The Colors of The
Season
 The
residence at 807 north second street in McGehee is much
like any other house during the year, but come fall
something spectacular happens. The front lawn becomes
ablaze with the color of vibrant amber as Wiley and Betty
Avery’s Ginkgo tree prepares for its winter hibernation;
in fact the tree can be seen from several blocks away
during this time of the year. For the last five years the
Avery’s have given us all an extra chance to see the
beauty of this tree by illuminating it after sundown
during its peek color. (See image insert)
When asked
were they got the tree we find that their son Kenny, who
once worked at a nursery in Monroe got them the tree in
the fall of 1993. For the first several years the tree
didn’t amount to much, some even asked why they had a puny
little twig stuck in the front yard but once the tree got
a good root system, away it went. Now thirteen years later
it is a front yard full. Betty confessed that secretly and
unknown to Wiley she trims the lower branches in the
spring so they can still manage to get the car into the
driveway.
The tree is
like a local tourist attraction this time of year. People
love to have their picture made by the tree. Betty has a
large collection or photographs with local children posing
under the tree. A neighbor once even ate some of the
leaves since Ginkgo leaves are reputed to have healing
properties. It is an established part of Asian medicine,
and has recently received attention in the U.S. as an
herbal remedy that may improve mental functioning
Two years
ago Wiley and his son Kenny measured the tree at 36 feet
tall and 17 feet wide. If the tree continues to grow at
this rate the Avery’s are going to have to soon move the
house back. Ginkgo’s can grow 50-80 feet or more in
height; and at maturity the width may exceed its height.
The Ginkgo
sometimes known as the Maidenhair Tree is truly unique in
that it has no close living relatives. For centuries it
was thought to be extinct in the wild, but is now known to
grow wild in at least two small areas in Zhejiang province
in eastern China , in the Tian Mu Shan Reserve.
 During
autumn, the leaves turn a bright yellow. A noteworthy
attribute of the ginkgo is the speed with which it sheds
its leaves during the Fall. Once the ginkgo’s leaves begin
to fall, they typically go very quickly (within a couple
of days). You’ll notice a few stray leaves starting to
drift down one day and the next morning you may find the
entire lawn a carpet of yellow. A combination of insect
and disease resistance, along with the ability to form
aerial roots and sprouts means that ginkgos are very
long-lived, with some specimens claiming to be more than
2,500 years old.
As for me
fall has always been my favorite season of the year, I
look forward to the crisp cool nights and for God’s paint
brush to touch the trees around south Arkansas, especially
this one, truly a McGehee landmark for years to come.
Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Avery for sharing it with us.
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| DeltaCurrent.COM |
November 23, 2006 |
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