San Marcos Record, San Marcos, TX

Features

November 28, 2009

Answers To Go - Ohio’s famous buckeye tree can also be found in Texas

Each week hundreds of people call or visit the San Marcos Public Library to find information. "Answers•To•Go" highlights recently received questions. Please visit the library at 625 East Hopkins, call 393-8200 for information over the phone, or e-mail us through our web-page at www.ci.san-marcos.tx.us/library.htm.



Q. We had family visiting from Ohio over Thanksgiving. We showed them the sights including a trip to Enchanted Rock. We found a buckeye on a picnic table. Are there buckeye trees in Texas?



A. I wouldn’t put it past an Ohio State football fan to leave a trail of buckeyes as they travel, but there are buckeye trees in many areas of Texas.

Our Texas tree books are popular with gardeners, hikers and schoolchildren working on their leaf identification projects. If your child has that assignment, be sure to come in. We’ve bought lots of those books because it’s important that children have what they need for their homework.

This is also a good time of year to plant native trees. You can find books on that subject with these keyword searches in our library catalog: Texas trees, Texas gardening, or Texas landscape.

To return to your question, let’s refer to “A Field Guide to Texas Trees” by Benny J. Simpson. Simpson writes, “The buckeyes in Texas are generally small trees (although the Texas Buckeye sometimes approaches 50 feet in height) or quite large shrubs.

“They are easily distinguished by their palmate compound leaves and the large, shiny, tan to brown seed that resembles the eye of a deer and gives the genus its common name.

“All parts of the plant are probably poisonous, so the tree is usually shunned by wildlife although at least one account has been documented of deaths of bees that had been working buckeye flowers. Cattle losses occur in drought years when the young buds of Texas Buckeye are the only green forage.”

Simpson includes maps showing the range of the different buckeyes found here. The Texas (or White) Buckeye is found in the counties around Enchanted Rock.

Simpson’s maps don’t show the Texas Buckeye in Hays County, but he reports that we do have the Red Buckeye which bears showy bright red flowers in early to late spring and grows to up to 30 feet in height.



Q. I missed the showings of the new film on Jack Hays. Does the library have a copy?



A. Of course, we have “Captain Jack: The Story of John Coffee Hays.” In fact, we have five copies of this DVD. We’d be happy to place one at the check-out desk so you can speed in and out at this busy time of year.

On the other hand, some library lovers see the library as one place where it’s nice to slow down and relax. The lounge chairs are comfortable; you can spread out at a table and address holiday cards if you like; and it’s fine to have a quiet conversation with a friend here.

Speaking of the holidays, you might want to consider this DVD as a gift for history lovers in your family. The Hays County Historical Commission sells copies for $10.00 plus shipping. Details can be found at www.hayshistoricalcommission.com/store.

For those interested in more details on John Coffee Hays, we have biographies for both children and adults. The children’s book is Curtis Bishop’s “The First Texas Ranger, Jack Hays.” For adults, we have “Colonel Jack Hays: Texas Frontier Leader and California Builder” and “Texas Ranger: Jack Hays in the Frontier Southwest” by James Kimmins Greer.

Text Only
Features
  • Suzi1.JPG Veggie Heaven

    “Vegetables can be beautiful,” says Suzi Fields, and a case in point is her artfully landscaped curbside garden at 1013 Field Street (names Suzi Fields and Field Street are coincidental), which is Spring Lake Garden Club Yard of the Month. 

    February 12, 2012 1 Photo

  • HEB customers the big winners in Souper Bowl project

    HEB customers throughout Kyle, Buda and San Marcos unanimously win MVP for this year's Souper Bowl of Caring, says local food bank community relations coordinator Jane Moore. 

    February 10, 2012

  • N1010P64020C.TIF A Culinary Adventure

    If the quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, then true, long-lasting love exists through a pair of adventurous eaters.

    February 10, 2012 1 Photo

  • Plenty of love going into TVM fundraiser

    More than 200 volunteers, 30 flats of strawberries, 470 pounds of chocolate and immeasurable amounts of love go into True Vineyards Ministries annual valentine's chocolate-covered strawberry sale.

    February 10, 2012

  • Intermediate photo.jpg Food for Thought

    Several Hays County youth participated in the District 10 4-H Food Challenge held recently at Texas State University.

    February 8, 2012 1 Photo

  • Discover new, great reads with BookLetters website

    “I was watching The Today Show and they reviewed Elizabeth the Queen by Sally Bedell Smith."

    February 8, 2012

  • red buckeye,.jpg The Heat is On

    It should come as no surprise that the next few months will be drier and warmer than normal. 
     

    February 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • durham1.JPG Celebrating a Legend

    Doug Lawrence was an up-and-coming tenor sax player, having played with Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie and more, when he crossed paths with jazz pioneer — and San Marcos native — Eddie Durham in 1982.

    February 3, 2012 1 Photo

  • ‘Happy Birthday’ perfect antidote for winter blues

    As the perfect antidote to winter blues, the Wimberley Players will open a rollicking farce,  “Happy Birthday” by Marc Camoletti and adapted by Beverley Cross, today at the Wimberley Playhouse.

    February 3, 2012

  • Counting down the many uses of corn

    Nothing is more American than corn.

    February 2, 2012

House Ads
Business Marquee
AP Video
Raw Video: Kim Jong Il Statue Unveiled Trial Opens for Ala. Man in Bride's Diving Death Baltimore's 'Crime Stopper' Is a Basketball Star Raw Video: Hearse Arrives at N.J. Funeral Home Authorities: Houston Found Underwater in Tub Arm Wrestler Not Guilty Plea in Wife's Death Raw Video: Houston Body Flown From L.A. to N.J. First Person: Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Obama's New Budget: The Winners and Losers Gregoire: Marriage Equality Is Right for Wash. Bacteria Keep Swimmers Off Some Fla. Beaches Police: Houston Found Under Water, Unconscious Sandusky Can See Grandkids, Have Local Jury Obama Unveils $3.8 Trillion Budget Raw Video: Israeli Embassy Car Attacked Coroner: Don't Know Houston's Cause of Death Yet Valentine Greetings Sent Worldwide From Loveland Greek Austerity Measures Spark Riots Raw Video: Obama Budget Goes to Capitol Hill Arab League Wants U.N. Help in Syria
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
Twitter Updates
Follow me on Twitter
Facebook
Video
Seasonal Content