Let's visit.....

[plantlover]

I used to eat the fruit of Russian olive. As long as they are fully ripe, the fruits have a nice sweet-tart flavor. I have a relative of it growing in my yard in Florida. It is from the Philippines. Eleagnus is the genus.

[seven of nine]

PL you are an absolute gem!

[plantlover]

Thanks!

[amyflorida70]

Yummy, anything fresh in my opinion is beyond compare.

[Notar]

Hello All,
Just want to introduce myself, hearts in Montana but the jobs in So Cal, love to hunt and fish and hear stories of MT, when things get tough in the Job, thats my happy place. Love to talk to you folks about MT

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by seven of nine

Yes I have recently found out what Russian Olive trees were and the impact they are having on the Cottonwoods. Which BTW gush water if you trim them as I have learned.
Non-native Russian olive trees a nuisance to some, savior to others

Yeah, similar controversy over tamarisk (saltcedar) tho I vaguely recall new plantings were eventually banned in MT. Tamarisk will grow in deep desert, need very little water once established, and can endure all manner of abuse. When it gets too hot or dry the top dies back entirely (and makes good firewood -- just cut the whole thing down to the roots) then next fall it grows back and within a year or two is fullsized again. They're quite amazing. In the desert they seldom get over 20 feet tall, but if they get plenty of water (and they will grow in running water!) they grow huge, 100 feet or more.

I love cottonwoods tho -- one of my fave trees. No tree's shade is as cool and refreshing as a cottonwood's. Oddly enough they also grow well in the desert, but every cottonwood I've seen in CA has been male (except one, which is now gone), so there are no new trees other than when someone plants 'em, and sad to say they have fallen out of favor. The downside of having only male cottonwoods is that they only live 15-20 years, at least if there are no female cottonwoods around. I don't recall ever seeing them be that shortlived in MT, where there are plenty of female trees too.

Cottonwoods (and other aspens) grow easily from sticks, just cut a nice tall piece (shaped about like you want the mature tree to look) and drop about 1/3rd of it into a hole!! In fact this is a good use for broken branches, just plant them same day, water them good for the first year or two, and they will usually "take". They have very invasive roots that travel a long way, so don't plant them near wells, septics, or foundations!

Used to be a monstrous huge cottonwood (female) in Great Falls, on the corner of 32nd St. East and 2nd Ave. South. It was a good 6 feet in diameter at the base, easily double the height of any other tree in sight, and perfectly shaped.

Contrary to popular belief, cottonwood is a good firewood, with the highest heat index per pound of any wood, and it burns real steady and banks well. Trouble is, it takes a lot of volume to make the same weight as other woods. But it was still my preferred firewood, with the added bonus that no one else wanted it so there was always plenty.

[Montana Griz]

Reziac............

Thanks for the above info on cottonwoods.

You may be familiar with the great number of cottonwoods planted by the 'the Marcus Daly people' around the turn of the century. All roads leading to the "Daly Mansion" and several of the irrigation ditches on the Mansion grounds were (are) lined with cottonwoods. A good example is Tammany Lane.

Your info leads me to believe that somehow they planted "female trees" exclusively. Of the number that remain today (appoximately 50%), almost 70% are in the 4 to 6 foot diameter catagory. I never knew about the females being the "big ones". I have no idea how many they planted....but I would guess it had to be approx 1000!

When I first came to the Bitterroot in 1976....I was astounded at the number of Cottonwoods in the Hamilton area.

[seven of nine]

Originally Posted by Notar

Hello All,
Just want to introduce myself, hearts in Montana but the jobs in So Cal, love to hunt and fish and hear stories of MT, when things get tough in the Job, thats my happy place. Love to talk to you folks about MT

Hello and welcome to the porch, we enjoy conversations with good natured folks, what is your hunting interest?

[Notar]

I had hunted deer, and turkey never had the pleasure of hunting anything else, LOVE to fish salt and fresh. I fish more than I hunt but I truly love both, Its essential to good management.

[seven of nine]

Well you would be in paradise here in Montana, we speak all manner of hunting here. Currently on the upland game bird here.
The tuff winter we had last year made for a small hatch, not seeing large numbers of roosters, but am enjoying the process
Look at my Eastern Montana album if you are interested in how this side of the state looks.
Rickers is our resident fisherman.
Rez is a resource go to poster.
Griz and ST have great long resident points of view.
AQHA rides in with a nice story.
PL and amy are new welcome visitors.
BTW tell us you beverage of choice as you sit here on the porch, a little chilly now, so I am staying with the hot chocolate.