Chalk Maple (Acer leucoderme)
Chalk Maple is one of the most beautiful understory deciduous trees native in the United States. Its natural range covers the Southeast stretching west to Texas and Oklahoma with a USDA hardiness range of 5-9. It handles both heat and drought well. Its common name comes from its characteristic smooth chalky-white bark which also provides a second common name, Whitebark Maple.
Chalk Maples can reach 30 to 40 feet in height, which makes it a great understory tree for small landscapes. It is one of the last trees in autumn to display color with brilliant dark reds and oranges. Chalk Maples keep their brown leaves through winter, a phenomenon called foliar marcescence.
Amelie and Everette Sheffield
by Anne Sheffield
My parents, Amelie and Everette Sheffield, were both high school teachers. My mother taught home economics for 25 years before having to retire due to Multiple Sclerosis. My dad taught every subject under the sun related to agriculture – including mechanics, welding, industrial arts and horticulture. His career spanned 30 years.
Having two teachers as parents helped produce a bookworm of their oldest child and only daughter. In fact, I don’t think I took my nose out of a book until I was in college, but I got top grades.
What I overlooked growing up was the influence my parents had on the many students who went through their classrooms.
If a student wasn’t showing up for one of my father’s classes, he wouldn’t hesitate to visit the student’s home and talk with the parents. My dad would also take a student who needed extra help under his wings, especially ones whose family had little money. One of those students went on to graduate from NC State and join a large utility. That individual saved enough money to buy his parents a better house to live in. The skills he used in his job were ones my dad taught him in those high school classes.
My mom also taught hundreds of students. Many of them became her friends after they graduated. They kept in touch with her – calling her throughout the year, sending updates on how they were doing, visiting her when their travels took them near our home in Biscoe, NC.
Ruth Morris was one of those students and she’s the reason for this memorial. She wanted my parents to be remembered in a special way. Ruth will tell you that she learned life skills from my mom, and those skills helped her get a job and raise three small children after she became a single mother. Even though my mother died several years ago, Ruth and I keep in touch. She’s like family.
My brother, Everette Sheffield Jr., followed in our parents’ footsteps, as did his daughter and my niece, Caroline Sheffield McKee. They are fine teachers. My parents would be so proud of them.
Ruth and I selected the Chalk Maple as my mom would love the beautiful fall leaf colors. My dad would also like that it’s not a pine tree.
