Black gum trees bring scarlet to autumn

By Richard B. Primack

 

“How much of beauty – of color, as well as form – on which our eyes daily rests goes unperceived by us!”  - Henry David Thoreau in his Journal.

 

The leaves of black gum trees turn brilliant scarlet in late autumn, giving the trees a fiery appearance. At other times of the year, black gums, also known as tupelo trees, are hard to spot in their wetland habitats.   Wild black gum trees are actually surprisingly common at many wetland locations around Boston, especially along the Charles River.

 

A wild tree in the Webster Woods in Newton with red leaves in October.

 

Without their scarlet autumn leaves, black gum trees are recognized by their horizontal branches,  giving trees a distinctive pagoda-like appearance, their tooth-less leaves which are often wider toward the tip than at the base, and their light-gray flaky bark.  Birds also feast on their small black fruits for a few weeks in late September. 

 

Scarlet leaves of black gum up close.

 

Newton resident Nyssa Patten was named for the black gum tree, which has the scientific name Nyssa sylvatica.  When she was borne, her parents planted a black gum tree in their yard, and each year they take her photograph next to the tree.  

Nyssa Patten examines scarlet-colored black gum leaves at the Newton Center playground.

This posting was adapted from an article in the Newton Tab.

Wine making changes with the times

By Richard B. Primack 

“As some heads cannot carry much wine, so it would seem that I cannot bear so much society.”

- Henry David Thoreau in his correspondence. 

In addition to apples and pumpkins, autumn is the time when grapes ripen and people make wine. In Newton, the practice of wine making is changing from the old ways in Italy. 

Mario Battista makes wine every year, but not from the grapes on his own prolific vines. Each year, he buys boxes of Zinfandel grapes and uses these to make about 180 bottles of wine. What does he do with all this wine? Mario says, “I used to have a glass of red wine every night, but my doctor told me to cut back, so I give most of it to my friends.” 

So, if he buys grapes, why all of these grape vines in his yard? Mario explains, “Before I used to grow white seedless grapes to eat, but now I grow vines mostly for shade, and let the birds eat the grapes.” 

Mario Battista and his son Franco sitting in the shade of their grape vine.

John Nicolazzo, another Newton winemaker, bought Cabernet grape juice from California this year instead of grapes, which makes the whole process easier. John says, “I drink some of the wine, but most of it I give away.” 

John Nicolazzo shows his bottles of wine. 

Figs in Newton

Mario and John’s gardens also have 6 to 10 foot tall fig trees growing in pots. Figs are of special interest to Newton, as the famous Fig Newton cookie is named for the city. In past autumns, Newton fig growers would bend over each tree and it bury in a trench for the winter. But now Mario and John cart the potted figs into the garage at the end of the season. It is not the same as the old way, but it works. 

John with his grandson in front of his fig trees. 

This is a shortened version of an article that appeared in the Newton Tab.