Nature Photo Challenge: tree bark

This week’s challenge from Denzil is interesting, visit his site for lots of information about tree bark that you probably never knew. I have always been fascinated by bark, mainly for the colours and textures so here’s a few from my archives.

The amazing texture of Xanthorrhoea glauca, the Australian grass tree.

Prunus serrula. A magnificent small garden tree for year round interest its most prominent feature is its tactile, silky, polished bark. The smooth, mahogany bark peels in translucent cinnamon and honey coloured sheets to reveal a fresh new hue of bronze-red gloss beneath. Caught in autumn sunlight this tree almost glows.

Prunus serrula, called birch bark cherry, birchbark cherry, paperbark cherry, or Tibetan cherry, is a species of cherry native to China
This multi-stemmed one is a highly  prized specimen.
Chinese Paperbark Maple

Chinese Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum) has the advantage of being attractive all year round: in spring, when the leaves appear, in autumn when its wonderful, rich leaf colour shines, and throughout the dormant season because of its remarkable bark. When the brilliant deep crimson and scarlet leaves have fallen in late November, the full majesty of the rusty-brown bark, which peels in loose tatters, is revealed. Catching it with the sunlight behind creates this gorgeous orange-cinnamon peel.

Australian Eucalyptus / Gum trees often have interesting coloured bark.

Sydney Blue Gum
Sydney Red Gum
Sydney Red Gum
Scribbly gums are a type of eucalyptus or gum tree. There are a few species that are known as scribbly gums as they all have the ‘scribbles’ across their bark.

Scribbly gum is a name given to a variety of different Australian Eucalyptus trees which play host to the larvae of scribbly gum moths which leave distinctive scribbly burrowing patterns on the bark.

And I’ll leave you with this. Along the road to Potato Point (NSW, Australia) you will come across the most magical tree. An enchanting gum tree decorated with toadstools, butterflies, dragonflies and flowers amongst the discarded eucalyptus leaves. Want to know more? Click here.

One of the most fascinating trees
The fairy house

Denzil’s Nature Photo Challenge #22 | Bark

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Heyjude

I have lived in the UK for most of my life, but when young I definitely had wanderlust and even ended up living in South Africa for several years which was a wonderful experience. I now look forward to a long and leisurely retirement doing what I like most - gardening, photography, walking and travelling.

41 thoughts on “Nature Photo Challenge: tree bark”

  1. Denzil’s challenges are almost tailor made for you, aren’t they, Jude? Wonderful images! Meg would have loved this one too. I don’t suppose you’ve heard lately?

    1. Apart from the snails…
      And, no, haven’t heard from Meg in months. Not sure if I got a response to my Christmas email. 🤔

        2. No, but she’s sometimes on Messenger. I don’t use it much but it’s Lauren’s birthday today and she sent me a photo of the flowers I had delivered. I guess, as with Gilly, it’s time to let it go 😕💙

  2. A great response to Denzil’s challenge. These are beautiful and – to English eyes – unusual trees, with wonderful bark.

    1. Actually two of the unusual ones are here in Cornwall! I thought I’d choose something a little different as I did a couple of tree studies on the other blog not so long ago.

  5. A nice selection of unusual trees, Jude. I like to investigate tree bark on my dog walks, but we mainly have Oak, Silver Birch, and Beech around here.
    Best wishes, Pete. x

      1. Beautiful trees – I have fond memories of them in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh, but I haven’t seen any in a long time.

        2. Now I’m thinking about it, I miss them. (I do however, have a lovely birch at the back of the garden. I think it’s probably a Himalayan birch, best thing that out predecessors planted. 🙂 )

      1. Staying indoors with AC as much as possible. Last weekend I was in Southern California, enjoying family time as well as delightful temperatures. Next week it might drop below 110 for a few days at least and we got some rain last night which was a huge blessing. I don’t remember when it last rained.

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