The Learning Center
With its long, twisted branches full of greenish-white strands of moss, its wide, massive trunk, and longstanding ecological and economic value, the southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) should be revered as one of the most characteristic trees native to the southeastern United States.
When you picture a cactus, do you imagine sprawling deserts and sizzling heat? Scrubby brush and expansive skies, maybe even a mountain or a sand dune in the background? Probably. What about Pennsylvania’s rolling hills and temperate climate? ...me neither. But tucked into dry, sunny spots across the keystone state grows a surprising native: the e astern prickly pear ( Opuntia humifusa ), Pennsylvania’s only native cactus.
August heat can be brutal. Even well-established trees can silently suffer from drought stress, which weakens their structure, slows growth, and makes them more vulnerable to disease, pests, and storm damage. But the good news? If you catch the signs early, you can often save the tree and avoid costly removal.
If you’ve ever stumbled across a large, wrinkled green fruit that looks like a brain and drops with a heavy thud in late summer, you’ve likely encountered the Osage orange tree (Maclura pomifera). Despite the name, this tree isn’t related to citrus.
