River talk

Forests aflame

By SANDY LONG

Posted 10/14/21

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River talk

Forests aflame

RR photos by Sandy Long

Punctuating our forests with exclamation points of purple is American pokeweed, also referred to as pokeberry. The fruits are a valuable food source for some bird species, such as cardinals and mourning doves, but are especially toxic to humans and should not be consumed.

RR photos by Sandy Long

Regional forests are brightened with yellow pods that open to reveal intense red berries in late autumn, thanks to the climbing vine bittersweet. While visually striking, this attractive plant has a darker side, with twisting vines that can kill a tree by girdling it. Two similar varieties grow in our region. American bittersweet is native to North America. Oriental bittersweet (depicted here) is native to eastern Asia and has become one of North America’s most invasive plants as it outcompetes American bittersweet and other vegetation by engulfing and slowly overwhelming it.

Posted Thursday, October 14, 2021 11:07 am

All that glitters

By SANDY LONG

Driving or walking around the Upper Delaware River region at this time of year is a rich and nourishing feast for the senses as foliage and fruits ripen. Make time to harvest this sumptuous banquet before the table is cleared and our brilliantly clad forests are stripped of their finery once again.

Explore one of the many trails throughout the region, or enjoy an old-fashioned drive along scenic roadways like Route 6 in northeastern Pennsylvania or Route 97 in New York. Visit https://bit.ly/2YD05ls or https://bit.ly/3iGE3VV for links to various possibilities.

Check out two scenic driving tours outlined by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, along with PA fall foliage reports at https://bit.ly/3Fu7y6W. Visit https://www.iloveny.com/things-to-do/fall/foliage-report/ for the latest updates on the evolving fall forests in New York.

For abundant foliage information pertaining to New York, see the “Guide to Fall Colors in Upstate New York” by Donald J. Leopold at www.esf.edu/ecenter.