Category: Plants
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Oak, Hornbeam, and Linden: The Broadleaf Forests of Central Europe
by Nicolette L. Cagle, Ph.D., April 1, 2026 Recently, I’ve been exploring the mountain forests of Central Europe and some of their characteristic trees — among them Sycamore Maple, European Beech, Silver Fir, Norway Spruce, and European Larch. But much of everyday life in Central Europe takes place below those cooler, steeper uplands. Mihály Munkácsy’s…
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European Larch: The Deciduous Conifer of Central Europe’s Mountains
by Nicolette L. Cagle, Ph.D., March 31, 2026 In the last several posts, I’ve been moving through the trees that help define the mountain forests of Central Europe. I began with the broader upland landscape, then turned to species such as Sycamore Maple, European Beech, Silver Fir, and Norway Spruce, each of which helps shape…
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Norway Spruce: The Dark Spire of Central Europe’s Mountain Forests
by Nicolette L. Cagle, Ph.D., March 30, 2026 In the last few posts, I’ve been moving through the trees that help define the mountain forests of Central Europe. I began with the larger upland landscape, then turned to species such as Sycamore Maple, European Beech, and Silver Fir, each of which helps shape the structure…
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Silver Fir: A Tall, Shade-Bearing Conifer of Central Europe’s Mountain Forests
by Nicolette L. Cagle, Ph.D., March 30, 2026 In the last few posts, I’ve been moving deeper into the trees that shape the mountain forests of Central Europe. I began with the broader upland landscape, then turned to species such as Sycamore Maple and European Beech, both of which help define the structure and atmosphere…
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European Beech: The Tree That Shapes the Atmosphere of Central Europe’s Uplands
by Nicolette L. Cagle, Ph.D., March 29, 2026 In the last few posts, I introduced this Central Europe tree series by reflecting on why trees are such a powerful way into sense of place, then by sketching the mountain forests of Central Europe, and most recently by looking more closely at Sycamore Maple, one of…
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Sycamore Maple: A Broad-Leaved Companion of Central Europe’s Uplands
by Nicolette L. Cagle, Ph.D., March 29, 2026 In the last two posts, I introduced this new Central Europe tree series by looking first at why trees are such a powerful way into sense of place, and then at the mountain forests of Central Europe, where geology, elevation, snow, and disturbance sort species across the…
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Mountain Forests of Central Europe
by Nicolette L. Cagle, Ph.D., March 29, 2026 Mountain forests in Central Europe feel layered. Across the Czech uplands and the Western Carpathians, one can move in relatively short distances from foothill broadleaf woods into beech forest, then into colder spruce– and fir-dominated uplands, and finally toward dwarf pine and meadow communities above the tree…
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Why Central Europe Is Such a Good Place to Learn Trees
by Nicolette L. Cagle, Ph.D., March 26, 2026 Trees are among the clearest expressions of place. They root geology in biotic form, translate climate and water into a visible pattern, and hold the marks of both ecological time and human history. To learn the trees of a region is to do more than learn names;…
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Common Trees of the Sierra Norte, Estado de Oaxaca, Mexico
Overview of the Sierra Norte. The Sierra Norte of Oaxaca is located about 40 miles north of Oaxaca de Juárez, in the eponymous state of Oaxaca, Mexico. The region extends across nearly 3,300 square miles, and is bordered by the regions of Papaloapam and Cañada to the North, and Valles Centrales, Sierra Sur, and Istmo…
Sense of Place 