Nature Observation

Nature is right in your back yard!

Texas Mountain Laurel

Texas Christian University homes different trees throughout the well-groomed campus. What caught my eye though, was a tree I fear has little recognition and often goes unnoticed. On my walk back from class, I pass the recreation center. Right near the volleyball courts, there stands a tree with a widely spread, but thin trunk. The trunk has a soft brown color with only slight rigid pieces of bark poking out, going against the grain.

The tree was still budding, but the flowers present, were a bright vivid, purple with white tints. The flowers were in clusters of small petals put together, making the overall flower an accumulation rather than a single bud. While there were flowers on this tree, it was clear that it was not in peak season or was not receiving adequate sunlight in its current location.

The leaves were a waxy green that were oval shaped. The leaves were a single forest green. The small oval shaped leaves were in a symmetric line, always paired up with a partner on the other side of the stem.

Finally, the branches of tree. To me, this was the most intricate part of the tree. While many would say the flowers are the most intricate part, and while they are beautiful, I was intrigued by the twists and stretched out nature of the branches. They spread far beyond the alignment of the base stump of the tree, making it broad and expanded. Still, the tree was not very full and had little foliage.

Its both amazing and inspring to know that if you look beyond your normal gaze, you can find nature right in your backyard!

(this is similar of the tree I saw)

My inspiration

This is similar to the tree I saw; the picture I took on my own was poor quality.

#natureinyourbackyard