Happy Monday! We visited Arbor Lodge in Nebraska City last week to help map several trees for the
Nebraska Champion Tree program. Arbor Lodge is a tree lover's dream and is home to a plethora of
uncommon species as well as trees with historic connections. At least six trees are considered the
largest in Nebraska and there are trees that date to the late 1800s and the days of J. Sterling
Morton and his family. We also learned about trees with connections to the US Revolutionary War
and also to Jessie Owens and his Olympic triumphs in Germany in the 1930s. Arbor Lodge has so many
great trees to highlight that we could write for days on the topic. But here are a few gems that
caught our attention last week and we'll make them the Woodies of the Week.
Ginkgo ( Ginkgo biloba) - There are many fantastic ginkgoes at Arbor Lodge, with some likely
over 100 years old now. The ginkgo grove northeast of the mansion is a truly spectacular site. Ginkgo
is easily identified by its fan shaped leaf. Modern ginkgo trees come from an ancient lineage
that dates to the age of dinosaurs.
You can learn more about it here.
Sassafras ( Sassafras alibidum) is best known by its distinctive leaves that come in a
variety of shapes, including the iconic mitten shape. Sassafras is often a shrubby tree growing in
thickets but several Arbor Lodge trees are nearly 90' tall and with 8ft. trunk circumferences. They
are truly impressive and the largest in the state.
Learn more about Sassafras here.
American Beech ( Fagus grandifolia) is a very common tree of eastern US woodlands but is rare
in Nebraska. Several outstanding specimens can be found at Arbor Lodge including the state champion
with an 8' trunk circumference and 75' tall. Beech trees are known for their smooth bark, distinctive
wavy-edged leaves, sharp winter buds and beech nuts that feed lots of forest wildlife.
Learn more here.
Black Walnut ( Juglans nigra). One of the state's largest and most impressive black walnuts
grows just north of the mansion. It has a trunk circumference of nearly 15' and is almost 100' tall.
Many other large walnuts can be found nearby.
Learn more here.
Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). The state's largest Douglas-fir grows about 200' southeast of
the mansion. It has a trunk circumference of 11' and is over 70' tall. This unique specimen has a
large low branch that has reached out and rooted into the ground several feet from the tree.
Douglas-fir is a naturally wide-ranging tree across the western US and the Rocky Mountain variety is
the best type for Nebraska.
Learn more here.
Algerian Fir ( Abies numidica). As far as we are aware, the fantastic Algerian fir located
just south of the mansion is the only tree of its type in the state and is likely the rarest tree at
Arbor Lodge. The Lodge tree is about 30' tall and 20' wide and is always a deep dark green with
a silvery cast. The cones of this fir are quite large. We hope to figure out how to get more of this
tree into Nebraska.
Learn more here.
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