The January 2024 winter storm brought sleet, snow, freezing rain, and wind to the Portland area, taking a heavy toll on our urban forest. We have seen widespread tree damage across the Portland area ranging in severity from whole trees uprooting and toppling over to major branch breakages. Our arborists are working hard to help with your tree emergencies and... Read More
The recent winter storm brought thick ice and snow to the Portland area, taking a heavy toll on our urban forest. We have seen widespread tree damage across the Portland area ranging in severity from catastrophic failures requiring removal to minor branch breakages resolved with pruning. Our arborists are working hard to help with your tree emergencies and will continue... Read More
January 25, 2021
By Sarah Fry
Winter
Outdoor winter temperatures in the Portland area regularly fall below the fresh water freezing temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Although we can generate our own heat by burning calories, without the protection of warm clothes or shelter, we would not survive freezing temperatures for long. Plant cells are made of mostly water. As cellular water freezes, it expands, bursting plant... Read More
Well maintained trees are a beautiful and valuable addition to properties. Arborists at For The Love Of Trees recommend regular tree care throughout the life of the tree to promote healthy structure. Poorly maintained trees can pose a hazard to people and property. The severity of a hazard posed by a tree depends both on the likelihood of failure and... Read More
Lichen-covered trees are a common site in forests and backyards of the Pacific Northwest, and are most conspicuous during the wet winter months when the branches of deciduous trees are bare. Lichen are made up of a fungus and a photosynthetic partner that work together to form unique species.The fungus provides the structure of the lichen and the photosynthetic partner... Read More
The nights are quickly becoming longer in the northern hemisphere and the average temperatures are dropping, triggering dormancy in trees. Dormancy is a winter weather survival mechanism in which tree shoot growth is significantly reduced to protect soft tissues from freezing temperatures. In the fall, the decreasing daylight triggers the production of abscisic acid, a hormone that impedes growth. Abscisic... Read More
Bare root deciduous trees, like the apple tree shown above, become available from nurseries in late winter. These trees are sold with their roots bare, or not in soil. Although planting in winter weather may be daunting, planting bare root trees now will allow root establishment before the growing season. The fact that you are planting the bare root tree... Read More
The snow-covered peak of Mount Hood dominates the eastern skyline of Portland in the winter. From a distance, it looks as though there is a sharp line above which trees do not grow. The elevation above which trees do not grow is called the tree line and is at about 6,000 feet on Mount Hood, or about the elevation of... Read More
After a long, dark winter, the swelling buds on bare branches foretell the coming of an eagerly anticipated spring for many Portland area residents. A bud is an undeveloped part of the plant. Flower buds become blossoms, whereas growth buds develop into shoots. Growth buds are the teardrop-shaped parts of the tree where new growth occurs. A branch grows longer... Read More
