“A gentle plea for debris” could almost be the theme of this message. You see, it was the quiet beauty of fallen leaves on a sidewalk that spoke to me each day as I left the inn where I was staying. Softening my footfalls on the unyielding concrete, they daily became smaller chips of color that had me (somewhat hazardously) looking down as I walked.

The benefactor that had dropped these sunset-hued leaves was the noble Sugar Maple, a tree that populates northern states in abundance, but is not so widely planted in southern landscapes. This tree attains the stature of a large oak over many years, and should be allowed suitable space to that end. The Sugar Maple colors the cooling days of fall with yellows, orange and scarlet – some trees having a single color while another individual may have all of them.

Not every Sugar Maple is thrilled to live Down South, if you believe the experts. There are cultivars who have shown indifference to our southern conditions, however, and are widely available. So, if you care to plant a tree that will give you the true “fall” experience, I would have you consider this pancake-sweetening botanical treasure….That’s right, the same one that has been filling the voids of waffles and making Aunt Jemima smile for all these years, the Sugar Maple.