Recent storms have reinforced our understanding of the importance of branch attachments. Please join us this week as we explore how “Branch Attachments Are Key”.

Species Spotlight
Listen to this week's episode to learn more about a great, deciduous Texas native that is important to wildlife and is used for cooking fires. Black hickory, Carya texana, is also known as Texas Hickory.

Trees Are Key

Branch Attachements Are Key

We deal with succession in leadership and our organizations just as we do in our forests and landscapes. Every natural (or unnatural) disaster can ‘reset’ succession, and the landscape starts marching through the steps of moving to it’s climax state.

Species Spotlight
Listen to this week's episode to learn more about Red Buckeye, Aesculus pavia var. pavia. A deciduous Texas Native, Red Buckeyes are a beautiful flowering tree that blooms in April or May - but have already begun blooming in Texas, this year.

Succession Is Key

Last year really brought to surface that #HealthyTreesHealthyLives is not a minor or aesthetic issue - but one of quality and quantity of life. Join us this week as we explore why "Equity is Key". 

Species Spotlight
This week's species spotlight performs best on well-drained soils in East Texas but can be found in almost every botanic garden or arboretum. Join us to explore Maidenhair, Ginkgo biloba.

Equity is Key

Join us in this week's #TreesAreKey episode as we explore why trees are key for addressing climate change. 

This week's #SpeciesSpotlight is a Texas native typically seen in East Texas, west to Austin and Dallas. Tune in as we discuss the Easter Redbud, Cercis canadensis, or the Judas Tree.

Keys to Climate Change

#TreesAreKey to healthier, happier and safer communities. They make our cities and towns not only livable, but survivable. Tune in as we explore "Keys to Urban Forestry". 

Species Spotlight
This week's tree is a Texas native that grows up to 70 feet tall. Listen as we discuss Montezuma Baldcypress, Taxodium mucronatum.

Keys to Urban Forestry

#TreesAreKey – it’s a basic truth. Trees aren’t the only key but they are so important that they deserve better understanding and care. Listen this week as we look back over the last 6 seasons in our final episode. 

Species Spotlight
This week's tree is large, deciduous tree of the prairie that reaches heights of 80 feet or more. Tune in to learn more about bur oak, quercus macrocarpa.

Keys to Trees

We hope you were able to look back on 2020 and prepare for the transition to 2021 over the holiday. Join us this week as we talk about planning for change in “Transitions Are Key”.

Species Spotlight 
This week's tree is one of my favorites because they can almost glow in the landscape. Deciduous holly, Ilex decidua, is a tough and tested Texas native.

Transitions Are Key

Trees are Key
Pests, disease, invasive species, fragmentation can all affect Forest Health. Join us this week as we discuss the “Keys to Forest Health” and what you can do to help.

Species Spotlight
This week's tree is very popular. Not only is it evergreen, but it has large showy blooms. Listen to this episode of #TreeAreKey to learn more about Southern magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora.

Keys to Forest Health

Join us this week as we discuss how to keep progressing in the game of life. That’s right, we’re discussing personal and professional development in episode 300 “Keys to Leveling Up.”

Species Spotlight
This week's tree is a small flowering tree from South Texas. Listen to this episode to learn more about Anacahuita aka Cordia boissieri aka Mexican-Olive aka Wild Olive.

Keys to Leveling Up

We're in a new year, but still dealing with many of the same challenges 2020 brought. One result being a break down in the commons. Join this week as we explore why “The Commons Are Key.” 

Species Spotlight
This week's tree does well in moist areas and have year round visual interest because of it's bark. Listen to this episode of #TreesAreKey to learn more about river birch, Betula nigra.

The Commons Are Key

Recently, we talked about how “Leveling Up is Key” and one way to do that is to improve your fitness. Join us this week as we discuss how “Fitness is Key” in arboriculture and forestry.

Species Spotlight
Chinkapin oak, Quercus muehlenbergii, is a great oak for more alkaline soils like we have in central Texas. Listen to this episode of #TreesAreKey to learn more about this great medium to large tree.

Fitness is Key

Join us this week as we explore how “Prescriptions Are Key.” From bespoke fertilization and plant health care plans to pruning specifications, our prescriptions are key to efficient and effective tree care.

Species Spotlight
This week's tree can light up the landscape with its beautiful white blossoms. White fringetree, Chionanthus Virginicus, is a beautiful small tree that can be found in the shade.

Prescriptions Are Key

We interrupt our scheduled topic to address what many of us are dealing with particularly across Texas and the South. This historic winter storm has and will affect our trees. Listen to learn more about how to care for our trees during this critical time.

Species Spotlight - 
This week's tree isn't common across Texas, but is a great example of the diversity of trees that can grow across this great state. Listen to learn more about Rocky Mountain Douglas-Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca.

Keys to Winter Damage

After last week's storm, it may be hard to sit around and do nothing, but more often than not, patience is key. Listen to this episode of #TreesAreKey to learn more about why you should be patient and take time before doing anything drastic with your trees.

Species Spotlight
This week's species is one of the trees that we expect experienced damage due to our hard freeze. Crapemyrtle,  Lagerstroemia indica, is a, generally, well-adapted species. Please let us know if you notice different amounts of damage based on varieties or microclimates.

Patience is Key

“If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask… for once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes” - Albert Einstein. Join us this week as we discuss, “Questions Are Key”.

Species Spotlight
This week's tree can be confused with live oak, but may be a little more cold hardy. Listen to this week's #TreesAreKey to learn more about Gum Bully, Sideroxylon lanuginosum.

Questions Are Key

#TreesAreKey with Paul Johnson helps listeners better understand and care for their trees. Weekly podcasts feature a short lesson and tree of the week, and share upcoming tree-related events around Texas. From planting to pruning, famous to flowering, to soil, sun and shade, and what to do when faced with disaster -- Trees Are Key has you covered.

Paul Johnson is the Urban and Community Forestry Coordinator for Texas A&M Forest Service. Paul is an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Board Certified Master Arborist and Municipal Specialist. He is a member of the ISA Board of Directors and graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in Forestry. His resume includes radio talk show host, newspaper columnist, extension horticulturist, university adjunct instructor and plant health care specialist.


Trees Are Key

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