The very word itself gives us a bit of a flutter. No plant seems to grow more easily and durably than a tree. They can sprout up anywhere and everywhere. They send out root systems ten times their above-ground size. They withstand drought, flood, and every other weather challenge. We climb them, hang swings in them, and build houses in them. Houses, boats, carts, furniture, and baseball bats come from trees. Obviously, all our MCPL books started out at trees. We use so many, and yet trees as a group are very forgiving.
It all started in 1854 when J. Sterling Morton moved to Nebraska and decided that there were not enough trees. He and other pioneers needed the trees to be windbreakers to stabilize the soil and provide shade from the sun. He proposed a holiday to plant trees; this became Arbor Day.
The flowering dogwood is the Missouri State tree. It is a small deciduous tree which sprouts tiny greenish-yellow flowers in clusters, with each flower surrounded by four white petals. Bright red fruits (loved by birds) develop in autumn, and the leaves turn a deep red before falling for winter. This popular and beloved tree is usually planted around homes, near patios, or in lawns.
