Along The Tulpehocken Today

[Teegate]

Today was the last day of Jessica's short vacation so we decided to just take a leisurely walk along the Tulpehocken today. There were a few places we wanted to check out that we have not visited before so we headed out early and left the woods by 10.

Standing in the Tulp.

Our first bait pile of the year.

It is a nice spot. He did good.

Growing all along the Tulp.

 

[bobpbx]

What in Sam Hill is going on there Guy? Why is all the duff gone from those cedar roots, was there a big fire there? Looks like it was a hell of a ground burn?
Also, those yellow leaves in the last 2 photos, I have a feeling there is something foreign growing out there, something that got away from that feed pile. They are not Pine Barren species. And is that trash in the woods there? Beer cans and whatnot?

 

[Teegate]

That fire smoldered in that area for months and burned everything in its path. I posted photos in that area with fire all around us.

That plant is growing everywhere along the Tulp and was disturbing to see. I figured it was invasive and that is why I posted it. I was waiting for you to say something. I have more photos showing it and will post them later this morning.

 

[Teegate]

That plant is growing everywhere along the Tulp and was disturbing to see. I figured it was invasive and that is why I posted it. I was waiting for you to say something. I have more photos showing it and will post them later this morning.

I actually only have one more and it is not worth posting.

 

[Rooftree]

I have a feeling there is something foreign growing out there,

Bob. Isn't that just Smilax rotundifolia? Their leaves turn yellow in the Fall.

 

[bobpbx]

Bob. Isn't that just Smilax rotundifolia? Their leaves turn yellow in the Fall.

I can't see them having that shape 'and' so large at one time Ron. Plus, the main veins are not the same. On Smilax they curve to the tip.

Maybe Tom (Oji) has an idea. He usually does. Maybe it's Paulownia or the start of Catalpa.

 

[GermanG]

There seems to be some dead smilax in the foreground but the other plant almost looks like poplar or aspen. Both are pioneer species but not common in the pines, except for a few sites, like Brooksbrae.

 

[bobpbx]

I wonder if it's pokeweed. Also, I wonder if in the very distant past the fires of old had many pioneers coming in, and it took this extreme ground-burn to crack old seeds from up to 100 years ago or more.

 

[GermanG]

I wonder if it's pokeweed. Also, I wonder if in the very distant past the fires of old had many pioneers coming in, and it took this extreme ground-burn to crack old seeds from up to 100 years ago or more.

I don't think so. Pokeweed has narrower and longer leaves, and a thick stem, almost like Japanese Knotweed.

 

[oji]

I'm pretty sure a good amount of Paulownia popped up after the fire in the Bullock area.

 

[Scroggy]

I'm not positive, but it does have something of a Paulownia vibe. The upper right of the last picture may be showing some leaves that have gotten big enough to have the usual round shape.

 

[GermanG]

I'm not positive, but it does have something of a Paulownia vibe. The upper right of the last picture may be showing some leaves that have gotten big enough to have the usual round shape.

That's a good possibility. Whatever it is, that many seedlings don't just pop up in the middle of no place without a mature tree being nearby. It almost warrants another visit

.

 

[Teegate]

That's a good possibility. Whatever it is, that many seedlings don't just pop up in the middle of no place without a mature tree being nearby. It almost warrants another visit View attachment 25818.

They are all along the Tulp so someone would have to walk the complete length above Carranza. The one side is fairly easy but the other is wet and semi swampy.

 

[bobpbx]

I'm not positive, but it does have something of a Paulownia vibe. The upper right of the last picture may be showing some leaves that have gotten big enough to have the usual round shape.

I actually did find Paulownia this past Spring on the pristine Bartlett's Branch in Bass River after a fire, but I looked at the photos I took yesterday, and made the determination that these are not the same plant. Here's the photo below, and below that is what I thought was pokeweed just 50 feet away.

 

[bobpbx]

They are all along the Tulp so someone would have to walk the complete length above Carranza. The one side is fairly easy but the other is wet and semi swampy.

I may go tomorrow to see if this puzzle can be sorted out, but I'm sure you did not mean to actually "walk the complete length"?

 

[bobpbx]

I just remembered something. I found a population of the rare Populus heterophylla in Cape May. When I told the office about it, they knew of it. Maybe there was a lot of it in the Tulpehocken watershed in the past. Sounds crazy, but maybe that's what it is. Here's a photo I took of it. Common name: Swamp cottonwood. But if you saw it in dry areas, it may just be trying to make a go of it. But still, I don't like the difference in the viening.

 

[GermanG]

I just remembered something. I found a population of the rare Populus heterophylla in Cape May. When I told the office about it, they knew of it. Maybe there was a lot of it in the Tulpehocken watershed in the past. Sounds crazy, but maybe that's what it is. Here's a photo I took of it. Common name: Swamp cottonwood. But if you saw it in dry areas, it may just be trying to make a go of it. But still, I don't like the difference in the viening.

View attachment 25821

Guy's last photo does suggest a pitch pine lowland a bit to me, so it's another possibility.

 

[Teegate]

I may go tomorrow to see if this puzzle can be sorted out, but I'm sure you did not mean to actually "walk the complete length"?

No, German mention maybe a mature tree and I said you may have to walk the complete edge to find it.