The Great Willamette Valley Ice Storm of '16 - 6 - Douglas-Fir Trees Redux - 9 original photos
What happened at the top of my fast-growing Douglas-Fir trees during our big ice storm? Come into my post and see!
Here's the first post on the Great Willamette Valley Ice Storm of 2016. I've already shown the effect of the ice on my Sequoia and Larch Trees; Blue Spruce and Western Redcedar Trees; Noble Fir, Grand Fir, and Eastern White Pine Trees; and some Douglas-Firs. I'll be showing how the ice affected other trees and plants in future photosets, like River Birch, Ponderosa Pine, fruit trees, and more.
Douglas-Fir
Weather near the ground can be different than higher up at tree-top level, where the wind is often stronger and the temperatures cooler. During our big ice storm in December, I was worried about the tops of my Douglas-Fir trees (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Douglas-firs grow so fast here in Oregon's Willamette Valley. They put a lot of energy into reaching up, up, up. Maybe they wouldn't have as much strength as tree tops that grow more slowly and more stocky.
I planted a set of Douglas-Fir trees, only a few years ago. You can read more about these emblematic trees of the Pacific Northwest in my last post about the big ice storm in December. I want to stress how much ice was on the lower branches of these trees - a lot!
But looking up at the higher parts of these trees, it was a different story.
The tops of the trees didn't look stressed. Instead, they looked pretty goofy to me. All that lanky, fast growth! It looked like the windier conditions blew a lot of the rain off, only to drip down and weigh down the lower branches. These tree tops reminded me of my gawky teenage years, not quite fitting into my clothes and new height, but being enthusiastic about life anyway.
I'm glad the tops of these Douglas-Firs made it through the storm just fine! I really appreciate the strength and flexibility of the lower branches, too. They took on their own freezing rain, and what dripped down from above. But at least that beautiful ice was easier to see and photograph down low!
How Is Your Winter Going?
Have you had much ice or snow this winter? How have your trees handled the weather this winter?
Other posts in this Ice Storm Series:
- The Great Willamette Valley Ice Storm of 2016
- Sequoia and Larch Trees
- Blue Spruce and Western Redcedar Trees
- Noble Fir, Grand Fir, and Eastern White Pine Trees
- Douglas-Firs 1
Follow me to see more ice storm photosets, including how the ice affected my River Birch, Ponderosa Pine, fruit trees, and more.
** Haphazard Homestead **
*** foraging, gardening, nature, simple living close to the land ***
Our "winter" may get in the 70s tomorrow.
haha -- I laughed at that! But you can still get snow and ice storms for the next month or even two! Your tree tops could be in trouble then, for sure! And I'm not even bringing up tornadoes - except I guess I just did. When northern Arkansas has that warm weather in the winter, you know what follows is often a cold front, meaning some wild storms. Enjoy your "winter"!
LOL - You would know!
I have spent a lot of time with my parents in their storm cellar during the winter! And the giant mile-wide tornado that stayed on the ground -- over hilltops and across rivers -- for 122 miles, came within a mile of their house, just in 2008. Temperatures were in the 70s before the tornado. When did it happen? February 5th! I visited them right after that, and it was something. I feel lucky with an ice storm, by comparison, for sure!
Fairly mild here in Central New Jersey thus far. A few really cold days and a few inches of snow but, overall, not too bad. Still have to get past February which is typically when a lot of the fireworks happen! Nice post @haphazard-hstead.
Thanks! Yep, it's not over 'til it's over, is it? Folks should keep those extra tires and sandbags in the back of their pickup trucks, just in case, for a little while longer! ; )
It is really astonishing. How's the weather now?
We had more ice just two days ago. But there wasn't as much, so we didn't have any more damage.
That's very good...I hope you only have a beautiful winter❄️ from now on. 💝
Thanks. We had some freezing rain this morning, but now it is only rain, rain, rain. The sun will return someday, lol. : )
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