PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Peeling bark can be very pretty. I have friends who don't get the appeal, so to speak, and think any tree or shrub with exfoliating bark, as it's known, looks diseased or messy.

So often we choose a tree because of its flowers, leaves, fall color or its fruit. Often, we forget about the bark. However, on many trees, the bark is the most interesting part of the tree. This can ...

“The larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder.” — Ralph W. Sockman “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” — William Butler Yeats. “You learn ...

Mary Jo DiLonardo has worked in print, online, and broadcast journalism for 25 years and covers nature, health, science, and animals. Young trees sometimes have smooth bark that's unbroken by ridges.

Once leaves drop from trees, splitting, peeling, bleached or oozing bark may become more noticeable. The cause can range from normal bark development to environmental causes or disease. If tree bark ...

A number of conifers are candidates for the Official Evergreen of Winter, but among the leaf-shedding shade trees there is just one superstar, the birch tree with its peeling snow-white bark. Birches ...

The bark of a tree is its own protection against the weather. While we shrug on a coat when it’s wet or cold, a tree will grow its own to insulate itself, keeping moisture out when it’s raining and in ...

With bright colors and interesting shapes, unusual tree and shrub bark can add visual interest to winter landscapes. Many types of bark become more distinctive and sought after during winter months.