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Upper surface of a leaf. |
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Underside of a leaf. |
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Leaf arrangement. Sometimes the leaves are almost rounded at the tips, rather than pointed. |
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Winter twig. |
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In the spring, Leatherwood has small fragrant yellow flowers before any leaves come out. |
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Here's a close-up picture of a flower. |
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Fruit forming in late spring (end of May). |
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This winter photo of Leatherwood shows the shrub's typical form. |
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Here's a couple more photos of Leatherwood in the winter. |
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Here are close-up pictures of the bark. |
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And another, showing the characteristic marks that show along its stems. |
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Leatherwood as cordage...
This picture shows the bark fibers separated. There are at least two layers that can be used as cordage. No special preparation is necessary. Simply strip the bark off. (Of course, doing so usually kills or severely injures the plant!) Once peeled off, use as cordage. It is as tough as leather, and almost impossible to break! |
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This picture dramatizes the pliability of Leatherwood. The branches can actually be tied into knots while still alive! The bark is extremely tough and durable, whereas the actual wood inside is very weak, and breaks easily. However, with the bark still on, the branches can be tied into knots without breaking.
For more information about cordage from Leatherwood and other plants, please visit the Wildwood Survival website, cordage section. |
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