ERVIN DEWEY
Wed, 12/27/2017 - 11:22am
Ervin Dewey, 75, a resident of Patterson, passed away at 6:20 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22, at his residence.
Jones Funeral Home Inc. is in charge of arrangements.
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Louisiana Spotlight: Boosted income forecasts muted by 'fiscal cliff'
Wed, 12/27/2017 - 11:20am
By MELINDA DESLATTE, Associated Press
Because Louisiana remains mired in budget uncertainty, the state’s recent rounds of improved financial news have gotten little notice, despite the hitting of a few significant milestones.
Louisiana is sitting on a surplus from last year and is on track to avoid a midyear deficit for the first time in nearly a decade, after grappling with 15 midyear budget gaps in nine years. At the most recent state income forecasting meeting, projections were boosted by $387 million over the next 18 months. And Louisiana’s Medicaid program is currently running under-budget.
All of that, however, gets clouded by the impending uncertainty of next year — and a looming, self-inflicted budget gap that sits at right around $1 billion.
But first the good news.
—Louisiana has a $120 million surplus from the prior budget year that ended June 30, largely sales and personal income taxes collected above what was budgeted. The dollars must be spent on one-time expenses, such as debt payments and construction work.
—State income forecasts were boosted by $153 million for the current budget year and by nearly $234 million for the budget year that begins July 1, giving lawmakers more money to spend. The improvements were largely driven by better-than-expected sales tax collections, and also by slight upticks to corporate and severance tax expectations.
—Louisiana’s Medicaid program is spending at a slower pace than expected and could leave the state with a surplus in six months if expenditures remain on their current path. The latest forecast shows the $12.5 billion health program may spend as much as $650 million less than projected. While most of that amount would be unused federal spending authority that can’t be reallocated to other state government programs, the Department of Health says about $30 million would be state general fund money that could be spent elsewhere.
The announcements are among the first financial bright spots for the Edwards administration since it took office in January 2016, inheriting a dismal budget picture riddled with shortfalls and uncertainty. The Democratic governor noted the upswing in a recent speech, crediting an improving Louisiana economy and what he described as prudent spending policies.
“It’s been a long time since the state of Louisiana talked about surpluses,” Edwards said.
The celebration didn’t last long, as the governor immediately shifted to the point of the speech he was giving: the $1 billion gap — nicknamed the “fiscal cliff” — that hits when the next budget year begins July 1 and temporary sales taxes enacted by lawmakers expire.
“Even though our revenue projections for next year are increased, it is not enough to solve the problem,” Edwards grimly assessed.
With the latest income estimate revisions, general state tax collections are expected to shrink by $994 million, from nearly $9.6 billion this year to $8.6 billion next year. And the state’s economists warned the long-term picture remains shaky, as Louisiana’s oil and gas industry is stagnant.
Republican Senate President John Alario quipped that it’s not time to “go out and break the champagne bottle” about the forecast improvements.
Lawmakers may be able to use some of the unspent dollars from this year to try to help with next year’s expenses, but they can’t use the surplus from last year to close part of the gap.
Under Louisiana’s constitution, surplus dollars can only be spent on certain one-time expenses, like debt payments, construction work and coastal projects, not ongoing agency expenses and continuing programs. At least 10 percent of any surplus is supposed to pay down retirement debt, and a quarter of a surplus is earmarked for the state’s “rainy day” fund.
In other words, no bailout for the $1 billion problem is on the horizon, and officials estimate that shortfall could balloon to as much as $4 billion in cuts with the loss of federal matching dollars.
Despite the recent spate of more positive financial news, Edwards and lawmakers will be haggling over the same thing in 2018 that they’ve been debating since the governor took office, whether to pass taxes or cut spending.
Deslatte has covered Louisiana politics for The Associated Press since 2000. Follow her at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte
Stephen Waguespack: Democrats, Republicans should consider impact of tax proposal
Wed, 12/27/2017 - 11:13am
By STEPHEN WAGUESPACK
We have all heard the advice that there is a time and place for everything. This advice, stemming from a proverb found in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, reads:
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.”
This advice rings true in many ways for us all, especially during this time of year when many of us naturally shift our focus from the grind of work and school to family and faith during the holiday season … quickly to be followed by the new year’s resolutions and promises soon to be made for changes in 2018. While this cycle of time and place habitually plays out for us throughout the year, it hasn’t always played out much in modern politics.
The perception today is the election cycle never ends and many politicians are consumed with talking more about their disdain for a political opponent or the next office they plan to run for as compared to spending their time crafting solutions to our mounting problems.
Last week, tax reform legislation was signed into law by the president that will lower rates for individuals and businesses across the country and bring tremendous investment back to our shores, a significant political and economic achievement. Sadly, it passed with hardly any Democrat support whatsoever. In fact, in the beginning stages of this effort, the Senate Democratic congressional leadership refused to even meet with the president to discuss tax cuts, much less have a beer together after a long day of fighting.
Back at home in Louisiana, the governor unveiled his plan to address the upcoming fiscal cliff and his desire to call a special session to enact new taxes in February. The specific policies included in his tax plan did not dominate his remarks nearly as much as his personal disdain for the efforts to date by the House Republican leadership. Not exactly a harmonious kickoff to the 2018 version of tax and spending debates.
Essentially, his proposal would do away with the fifth penny of sales tax passed in 2016 and replace those taxes with a combination of tax increases on personal income, corporate income, small business income and a host of transactions that would now be subject to new sales taxes. Specific details on some of these items were not released.
For instance, on the expansion of sales taxes to new transactions, the governor made it clear he wants to raise the utility tax on industrial businesses by 2 percent and small businesses by 4 percent. He also plans to tax manufacturing machinery and equipment (known as MM&E), but he did not specify who explicitly would be subject to this tax. The details on these points are controversial and critical since these new taxes on business inputs come at an especially precarious time in Louisiana’s economy.
On the expansion of sales tax to other services, which services are to be taxed under his new proposal? Are accountants, lawyers, landscapers, farmers and barbers all in or are some exempted?
With the proposed income tax increases, will a reduction in tax rates be included in the plan or will all the dollars collected just go to more government spending? In D.C., the tax reform that became law this week used credits, rebates and exemptions to pay for lowering tax rates. Will the governor’s plan incorporate any of that philosophy as well?
Another important question is whether any part of the governor’s plan is to reform or reduce the size and scope of government? Are any spending cuts proposed? Any reforms to inefficient or outdated programs? Any reform-minded policy changes such as centralized collection, fiscal transparency, spending caps, agency reductions, Medicaid reform, pension reform, the elimination of unnecessary boards and commissions or the undedicating of certain funds?
Many details in the governor’s latest tax plan are yet to be seen and those details must come out soon. The governor has given the House until Jan. 19 to take his proposal or offer their own. For that decision to be an informed and reasoned one, much more specific information is needed from the administration.
There is a time and place for everything.
The time is now for members of the Legislature, whether they are Democrat or Republican, to work together and thoughtfully consider the governor’s latest tax proposal. The governor should release the bills he plans to offer to implement his plan well before the Jan. 19 deadline. The Legislature should share these bills with the public and even hold public hearings on the impact of each bill so a balanced, thoughtful decision can be made.
There is a time for politics but that time is not now. This is no time to rush into a bad decision. This is simply a time for a thoughtful public debate of the specifics within the Governor’s tax plan.
Stephen Waguespack is president of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry.By STEPHEN WAGUESPACK
We have all heard the advice that there is a time and place for everything. This advice, stemming from a proverb found in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, reads:
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.”
This advice rings true in many ways for us all, especially during this time of year when many of us naturally shift our focus from the grind of work and school to family and faith during the holiday season … quickly to be followed by the new year’s resolutions and promises soon to be made for changes in 2018. While this cycle of time and place habitually plays out for us throughout the year, it hasn’t always played out much in modern politics.
The perception today is the election cycle never ends and many politicians are consumed with talking more about their disdain for a political opponent or the next office they plan to run for as compared to spending their time crafting solutions to our mounting problems.
Last week, tax reform legislation was signed into law by the president that will lower rates for individuals and businesses across the country and bring tremendous investment back to our shores, a significant political and economic achievement. Sadly, it passed with hardly any Democrat support whatsoever. In fact, in the beginning stages of this effort, the Senate Democratic congressional leadership refused to even meet with the president to discuss tax cuts, much less have a beer together after a long day of fighting.
Back at home in Louisiana, the governor unveiled his plan to address the upcoming fiscal cliff and his desire to call a special session to enact new taxes in February. The specific policies included in his tax plan did not dominate his remarks nearly as much as his personal disdain for the efforts to date by the House Republican leadership. Not exactly a harmonious kickoff to the 2018 version of tax and spending debates.
Essentially, his proposal would do away with the fifth penny of sales tax passed in 2016 and replace those taxes with a combination of tax increases on personal income, corporate income, small business income and a host of transactions that would now be subject to new sales taxes. Specific details on some of these items were not released.
For instance, on the expansion of sales taxes to new transactions, the governor made it clear he wants to raise the utility tax on industrial businesses by 2 percent and small businesses by 4 percent. He also plans to tax manufacturing machinery and equipment (known as MM&E), but he did not specify who explicitly would be subject to this tax. The details on these points are controversial and critical since these new taxes on business inputs come at an especially precarious time in Louisiana’s economy.
On the expansion of sales tax to other services, which services are to be taxed under his new proposal? Are accountants, lawyers, landscapers, farmers and barbers all in or are some exempted?
With the proposed income tax increases, will a reduction in tax rates be included in the plan or will all the dollars collected just go to more government spending? In D.C., the tax reform that became law this week used credits, rebates and exemptions to pay for lowering tax rates. Will the governor’s plan incorporate any of that philosophy as well?
Another important question is whether any part of the governor’s plan is to reform or reduce the size and scope of government? Are any spending cuts proposed? Any reforms to inefficient or outdated programs? Any reform-minded policy changes such as centralized collection, fiscal transparency, spending caps, agency reductions, Medicaid reform, pension reform, the elimination of unnecessary boards and commissions or the undedicating of certain funds?
Many details in the governor’s latest tax plan are yet to be seen and those details must come out soon. The governor has given the House until Jan. 19 to take his proposal or offer their own. For that decision to be an informed and reasoned one, much more specific information is needed from the administration.
There is a time and place for everything.
The time is now for members of the Legislature, whether they are Democrat or Republican, to work together and thoughtfully consider the governor’s latest tax proposal. The governor should release the bills he plans to offer to implement his plan well before the Jan. 19 deadline. The Legislature should share these bills with the public and even hold public hearings on the impact of each bill so a balanced, thoughtful decision can be made.
There is a time for politics but that time is not now. This is no time to rush into a bad decision. This is simply a time for a thoughtful public debate of the specifics within the Governor’s tax plan.
Stephen Waguespack is president of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry.
Larry Louis O’Prien
Wed, 12/27/2017 - 10:27am
Larry Louis O’Prien, 60, a native of Morgan City, and a resident of Gray, passed away on Monday, Dec. 18 at his residence at 9:14 p.m.
Visitation will be observed on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017 from 9 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Roman Catholic Church in Morgan City.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. with Father Kerketta Noas serving as the Celebrant. Burial will follow mass services in the Morgan City Cemetery in Morgan City, LA.
Memories of Larry will forever remain in the hearts of his two sons, Jervis Washington of Cincinnati, OH, Silas (Lelah) Carter of Hampton, GA, two daughters, Mrs. Chris (Shemeika) Ward of Madison, MS and Jerrica Jackson of Gibson, LA, one brother, Harry O’Prien, Jr. of Baton Rouge; three sisters, Mrs. Samuel ( Elizabeth O’Prien) Washington of Apple Valley, CA, Kathy O’Prien of Gray, LA and Mavis O’Prien Windom of Houston; aunts, Margaret Charles Gibson, Mrs. Earl (Natalie O’Prien) Johnson all of Morgan City and Romesia King of Houma; six grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents and one brother.
Jones Funeral Home of Morgan City/Franklin/Jeanerette/Houma in charge of arrangements.
please visit; www.jones-funeral-home.com to send condolences to family.
Joseph J. Robicheaux Jr.
Wed, 12/27/2017 - 10:26am
December 16, 1929 - December 24, 2017
Funeral services for Joseph J. “Joe” Robicheaux Jr. will be held Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2017 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Centerville during an 11 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial.
Following the Mass, he will be laid to rest in the St. Joseph Cemetery Mausoleum. Father Ruben Primor will be the celebrant for the mass, with Father Oneil Landry concelebrating.
A gathering of family and friends will be held Wednesday at the church from 9 a.m. until service time, with the Holy Rosary being prayed at 10 a.m.
Serving as pallbearers will be: Gary Robicheaux, Jacob Robicheaux Jr., Tony Pellerin, Ronnie Thibodaux, Neil Thibodaux, Kade Duckworth and Parrish Segura. Honorary pallbearers will be: Kendra Duckworth, Lukah Verdun, and Wesley Duckworth.
Joe, or “Pal” as he was affectionately known by many, was a native of Bayou Sale and a resident of Centerville for the past 62 years. He passed away peacefully at the age of 88 in the evening hours of Sunday, Dec. 24, at Iberia Medical Center in New Iberia.
He was a Third Degree Life member of the Knights of Columbus Centerville Council 4309.
He met Doris, the love of his life, at a dance, a passion they both shared and passed down to their children. They could often be found dancing at the Rose Club. He would often tell the story of a time they were in New Orleans at Storyville, where Fats Domino was playing, upon finishing dancing to Blueberry Hill, Fats called out Joe and Doris and told the crowd they were the best couple on the floor and he could tell that they didn’t start dancing yesterday.
Joe was a stranger to no one and cherished God, life, friends, and family, making daily calls to his daughters and all of his grandchildren letting them know as he would say, “You know what I say, I say I love you.” He will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.
Those he leaves to cherish his memory include his loving wife of 68 years, Doris Landry Robicheaux; daughter, Tana R. Thibodaux and her husband Ronnie; daughter and caregiver, Kendra R. Duckworth and her fiancé Tony Pellerin; seven grandchildren, Neil Thibobaux and his wife Tobee, Jeannie Segura and her husband Parrish, Kelsie Duckworth, Kade Duckworth and his wife Haley, Maxciene Smith and her husband Mark, Kylie Schrock and her husband Martin, and Billie Jo Verrette and her husband Chester; ten great grandchildren, Mia Smith, Marissa Smith and her fiancé Ryan, Marlie Smith and her fiancé Logan, Gracie Segura, Jaxx Thibodaux, Krista Duckworth, Lukah Verdun, Quentin Schrock, Allie Schrock, and Remi Duckworth; one great great granddaughter, Kinley LeBlanc; son-in-law, Wesley Duckworth; daughters-in-law, Kaye Robicheaux and Norma Bodin; his beloved cat, Nadine; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.
He was preceded in death by his son, Billy “Frog” Robicheaux; his parents, Joseph Robicheaux and Mary Alma Clements Robicheaux; his brothers, Murray Robicheaux and Jacob Robicheaux Sr.; his sister, Emily R. Guidry; and his lifelong friends, Joe and Ann Vaughn.
The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to Dr. Roland Degeyter and staff, Franklin Home Health, Heart of Hospice, and the entire staff of Franklin Foundation Hospital who were like family.
Family and friends may view the obituary and express their condolences online by visiting www.iberts.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Ibert’s Mortuary, Inc., 1007 Main Street, Franklin, LA 70538, (337) 828-5426.
Charleta Marie Cooks Baker and Aqulinea Rose Baker
Wed, 12/27/2017 - 10:25am
Charleta Marie Cooks Baker, 33, resident of Houma, and a native of Thibodaux, and baby girl Aqulinea Rose Baker, passed away on Monday Dec. 18, at 9:58 a.m. at the Terrebonne General Hospital in Houma.
Visitation will be observed Saturday Dec. 30, 2017 from 11 a.m. until funeral services begin at 1 p.m. at Morgan City Municipal Auditorium, 728 Myrtle St.
Burial will follow funeral services in the Moses Church Cemetery in Thibodaux. Master of Ceremonies—Rev. Ron Bias, Eulogy—Bishop Gary Wheeler of Changing Your World Ministries, Orlando, Fl.
Memories of Charleta will forever remain in the hearts of her husband, Elder Woodrow Donald Baker Jr.; son,Wiluzziah Baker; two daughters, Wa’Andenia Baker and Wymia Baker all of Houma; her father, Charles LaSalle of Patterson; two sisters, Karla Cooks and Charlene Cooks both of Thibodaux; her grandfather, Samuel Cooks of Houma; an uncle, a special couple who helped to raise her, Gerald and Nora Chenier; a god-father, a god-mother, her mother-in-law, a sister-in-law, and a host of other relatives and friends.
Charleta passed away with her baby girl, mother, her grandmother, and her father-in-law and her foster mother.
Jones Funeral Home of Morgan City/Franklin/Jeanerette/Houma in charge of arrangements.
please visit; www.jones-funeral-home.com to send condolences to family.
Rita Ann Roberts Landry
Wed, 12/27/2017 - 10:24am
Rita Ann Roberts Landry, 70, resident of Jeanerette and native of Opelousas, passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017 at the Iberia Medical Center at 6:05 a.m.
Visitation will be observed Saturday Dec. 30, 2017 from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. at the Macedonia Baptist Church, 145 Prevost Road Baldwin (Ashton Area).
A Celebration of Life Service will begin at 11 a.m.
Committal Services and Burial will follow funeral services in the St. Helens Cemetery in Glenco.
Memories of Rita will forever remain in the hearts of her three sons, Cary Landry of Fort Wainwright, AK, Daniel Landry of Houston, Texas and William Robinson of Jeanerette; one daughter, Erica Landry of Lafayette; four brothers, Harold Roberts of Loreauville, Larry Roberts of New Iberia, Patrick Roberts of Jeanerette and Chris Roberts of Houston, Texas; five sisters, Rose White, Betty Drexler, Verna Sereal all of Jeanerette, Catherine Edwards of Houston, Texas, and Janella Johnson of New Iberia; ten grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends and two daughters-in-law.
Rita was preceded in death by her parents, a son, three brothers, and two sisters.
Jones Funeral Home of Morgan City/Franklin/Jeanerette/Houma in change of arrangements.
please visit; www.jones-funeral-home.com to send condolences to family.
Betty Lester Pontiff
Wed, 12/27/2017 - 10:23am
Funeral services will be conducted for Mrs. Betty Lester Pontiff, 89, Wednesday, Dec. 27, at 12 p.m. in the David Funeral Home Chapel with Father Jody Simoneaud officiating.
Burial will follow in St. John Mausoleum.
Visitation will be Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2017 from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m., and a rosary will be prayed in the funeral home at 11 a.m.
A native of Franklin and a resident of Jeanerette, Mrs. Pontiff passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017 at 12:56 p.m. at Maison Teche Nursing Home, in Jeanerette.
She was a member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. She was a sweet, loving mother who loved her family and life.
She loved her grandkids, cooking, bingo and going to the casino. She will be sadly missed.
She is survived by her children, Lorraine Ellzey, Richard “Ricky” Pontiff and his wife Robben and Cindy Hebert and her husband Shane all of Jeanerette; six grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Charles Pontiff; her mother, Lucinda Watkins; her father, Abbie Lester; her sister, Erminee Plattsmier and her brother, Dudley Guillotte.
Pallbearers will be family and friends.
You can sign the guest register book and / or send condolences at www.davidfuneralhome.org
David Funeral Home of Jeanerette, 400 Provost St. (337) 276-5151 is in charge of arrangements.
William "Bill" Fontenot named CEO of Cleco
Wed, 12/27/2017 - 10:21am
PINEVILLE, La. – Dec. 21, 2017 – Today, the board of managers of Cleco Corporate Holdings LLC announced William “Bill” Fontenot as the new chief executive officer.
Fontenot most recently served as chief operating officer of Cleco Corporate Holdings LLC and interim CEO of Cleco Power. He will assume the role of CEO of Cleco Corporate Holdings LLC and all subsidiaries, including Cleco Power, as well as join the board of managers effective Jan. 1, 2018.
“Bill was selected following a competitive, nationwide search that began in March of this year,” said Peggy Scott, board chair and interim CEO of Cleco Corporate Holdings LLC. “His proven leadership abilities and diverse utility experience will lead our company forward.”
Scott will resign as interim CEO of Cleco Corporate Holdings LLC effective Dec. 31, 2017, and will remain chair of the Cleco board of managers.
Fontenot began his Cleco career in 1986 as an engineer and has worked in various capacities at the company including business development, commercial operations and utility operations. Highlights of his tenure include the management, development and restructuring efforts of generation projects valued at over $900 million, as well as leading the development and construction of the $1 billion power plant, Madison 3. For the last six years, Fontenot has served as chief operating officer overseeing generation, transmission and distribution asset operations and investment.
“I am humbled by the board’s selection and am thankful for the opportunity to lead Cleco, the company where I have worked for over 30 years,” said Fontenot. “With the help of our 1,200 loyal and dedicated employees, we will continue to safely serve our 288,000 customers while sustaining and growing the company.”
Fontenot serves on the boards of the Council for a Better Louisiana, Association of Edison Illuminating Companies, Southeastern Electric Exchange and the Central Louisiana Community Foundation. He is a member of AEIC Power Generation Committee, Central Louisiana Manufacturing Managers Council, St. Rita Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus.
Fontenot earned a degree in electrical engineering at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.
Cleco is a regional energy company that conducts substantially all of its business operation through its primary subsidiary, Cleco Power. Cleco Power is a regulated electric utility company that owns nine generating units with a total nameplate capacity of 3,310 MWs and serves approximately 288,000 customers in Louisiana through its retail business and supplies wholesale power in Louisiana and Mississippi. For more information about Cleco, visit www.cleco.com.
Get It Growing: Louisiana landscapes in winter
Wed, 12/27/2017 - 9:37am
By DAN GILL, LSU AgCenter Horticulturist
Our winter landscapes look decidedly different from our landscapes in summer for two major reasons. First, many of our shade trees drop their leaves in winter, and in their leafless state their appearance is stark and bare. In addition, our lawn grasses go dormant in winter and turn brown.
Lawns can be overseeded with ryegrass if a green winter lawn is desirable (and you don’t mind continuing to mow). But nothing can be done about the trees.
Plants that drop all their leaves at one time and enter a leafless, dormant state are called deciduous. In climates that experience cold winters, such as the northern U.S., this leafless time for trees and shrubs is during winter when sub-freezing temperatures occur.
When the ground freezes, it is difficult for plants to absorb water from the soil. Leaves are the part of a plant most responsible for water loss. So trees and shrubs in cold climates where the soil freezes tend to be deciduous because of a lack of available water. (Deciduous plants also occur in the tropics where plants have generally evolved a deciduous habit to cope with a dry season when little or no rain falls.)
In addition, it is hard to protect broad, thin leaf tissue from extreme cold. And the broad leaves of trees such as maples, elms and oaks will catch the snow, leading to branch breakage.
So trees and shrubs with broad leaves simply shed them in fall and put their effort into keeping important buds, twigs and branches alive through winter. Losing their foliage helps broad leaved trees and shrubs get through winters in cold climates. And, yes, species that have evolved a deciduous lifestyle retain it even when they grow in milder climates like ours.
Conifers, such as pines, firs and junipers, are about the only trees that keep their foliage during northern winters. These trees produce scale-like leaves or needles instead of broad leaves. Conifers are shaped to shed or withstand the weight of snow, and the needles are designed to conserve water. So these trees are able to retain their foliage over winter.
Virtually all other northern trees are deciduous. When a Northern gardener or gardening book uses the term “evergreen” in reference to trees, it is generally synonymous with conifer. In the mild winter climate of Louisiana (and the South in general), a number of evergreen trees are not conifers; live oak (Quercus virginiana), hollies (Ilex species and hybrids) and Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) are notable examples.
We commonly use evergreen trees in our landscapes, but deciduous trees are the backbone of our shade tree planting. This is because we generally prefer to use trees that provide welcome shady relief from the hot, intense sunlight of summer but drop their leaves and allow the welcome warmth of the sun to shine through in winter. So deciduous trees are useful and welcome in Louisiana landscapes, even if they do look bleak in winter.
When it comes to shrubs, however, deciduous plants are not preferred. Here in Louisiana, we have a vast selection of evergreen shrubs to choose from that retain their leaves year-round. And Louisiana gardeners use evergreen shrubs almost exclusively. Although we accept and use deciduous trees in our landscapes, heaven forbid a shrub should drop its leaves during winter. Few gardeners will choose shrubs that look like “a bunch of dead sticks” during winter.
That’s a pity, because many excellent deciduous shrubs can be used effectively to enhance Louisi-ana landscapes. A few that have gained acceptance include hydrangea (Hydra-ngea macrophylla), quince (Chaenomeles speciosa) and bridal wreath spirea (Spirea cantoniensis), but there are lots more we could use. Many of our outstanding native shrubs are deciduous, including red buckeye (Aesculus pavia), American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), Virginia willow (Itea virginica), honeysuckle azalea (Rhodo-dendron canescens) and oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia). Balking at the use of deciduous shrubs deprives landscapes of many desirable plants.
Of course, I’m not advocating that we use mostly deciduous shrubs in our landscapes. We are fortunate that our mild climate allows us to use a lot of evergreen trees, shrubs, ground covers and herbaceous perennials. This helps provide a certain continuity of appearance through the year. I would not want a landscape that looks totally bare in winter when my neighbor’s yard is still lush with foliage. But I have found that mixing some deciduous trees and shrubs into a landscape does two things.
First, I think it is desirable to have a landscape that changes its appearance with the seasons. The falling leaves and bare branches of deciduous trees and shrubs in autumn and winter create a striking contrast to how the landscape looks in spring and summer. And new leaves emerging from bare branches signal the beginning of spring in a way that new growth on evergreen trees and shrubs never can.
Second, it creates a whole new personality for a plant. Take the crape myrtle, for instance. With its filigree canopy of branches and smooth, muscular trunks, it is a work of art in wintertime. And oakleaf hydrangeas show off the striking peeling bark of their stems best when the leaves have fallen.
When all the leaves have fallen, and they are nestled snugly in beds as mulch or fill our compost piles, don’t despair at the barren branches. Instead, let’s appreciate the unique beauty of deciduous trees and shrubs during their leafless period.