Snowball Bush

It is hard to identify a tree - when it is really a bush. We started our Seasonal Tree Study today with Autumn and each of the kids picked a tree in our yard to observe for a year. Rebecca chose the snowball tree in the yard. It is so beautiful in the spring when it blossoms, unfortunately it is delicate and the blossoms seem to get lost in a rainstorm. Rebecca studied the tree like we have been practicing and came in the house to identify it using the internet. She kept coming up with some sort of a maple, but that didn't seem right. Finally, I said, let's search for snowball tree.

We found out that bush is basically a tree that has many smaller stems rather than a main trunk. We think that it is a Viburnum opulus as described here or here or here, however, we will have to continue observing this bush over the course of the year to be sure. It is a beautiful bush any time of year.

The other kids enjoyed spending time with their trees as well.

Emily and the walnut tree.

Kevin in the walnut tree.

Isaac in the Northern Catalpa