Conifer
Gymnosperms bearing seeds in woody cones and sporting needle- or scale-like leaves. Most conifers are evergreen and dominate boreal and montane forests; they’re important for timber, resin, and landscape structure. Tagging helps distinguish them from broadleaf trees in plant lists.
Arbor Vitae: In Search of the Tree of Life
The “tree of life,” or arbor vitaæ, has long been surrounded by mystery and debate over its true identity. This story traces how the St. Lawrence Iroquois used the tree’s medicinal properties to aid French explorers and explores the evidence behind its botanical identification.
tree, conifer, ornamental, temperateCryptomeria japonica: Climate Change, Cultivation, and Culture
Cryptomeria japonica, or sugi, is Japan’s national tree and has long held cultural and symbolic importance in the country’s landscape. This story traces how sugi’s role is evolving today as Japan grapples with the environmental and social impacts of aging monoculture forests.
tree, conifer, ornamental, temperateWhat We Know Now: Tracing the Tamarack
The Tamarack tree, or Larix laricina, holds deep cultural and ecological significance, especially in Ojibwe traditions where it symbolizes humility and reciprocity. This story explores the tree’s seasonal rhythms, its role in Indigenous storytelling and Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and its potential as a symbol for conservation and interconnectedness with the natural world.
tree, conifer, wetland, cold-hardy
