Page 14 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 GARDENS | FROM PAGE 13 The only one native to North American is usually known as American basswood (Tilia americana), and its leaves are larger than other species. Its soft wood is valued for carving and for making guitars. Lindens are members of the Mallow family (Malvaceae), which includes hibiscus and hollyhocks (Alcea spp.). The oldest section of the veterans’ monument is a brick arch with plaques listing the names of Saugus servicemembers of each war. A pair of hybrid dogwoods frame the path through the arch. Their leaves have a good red fall color, and a few of the leaves are still on the trees at this point. While the flowers bloomed in late spring, what remains on the trees now shows that these trees are the result of a cross between flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) and kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa). Flowering dogwood has clusters of small, oval, bright red fruit which is very popular with birds, and small enough for songbirds to pick and eat. Kousa dogwood fruit looks like a bumpy red cherry when ripe, and actually consists of the fused fruits at Thanksgiving. In addition to the green leaved Norway maples, a very popular red-burgundy leaf color is found on the Norway maple variety ‘Crimson King,’ which was widely planted on several streets off of Lynn Fells Parkway. Seedlings of these trees are likely to come up with green leaves, or sometimes a muddied combination of the parents’ leaf colors. A few decades ago, Norway maples made up 80% of the street trees in most Massachusetts towns. People considered them perfect substitutes for the native sugar maples (Acer saccharum) that were not able to thrive with road salt. Norway maple seeds spread rapidly. Stray seedlings grew into large trees which can now be found in many places beyond where the original ones were planted. Due to its excessive success at reproducing, and the fact that it has crowded out native trees in some areas, it is no longer legal to sell in Massachusetts. However, the trees are still abundant and can be found in every neighborhood across the town. We won’t expect to see the branches bare on these trees for several more weeks. SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS FOR A DIVORCED SPOUSE A divorced spouse must meet certain conditions THE TRIBUTE TREE: This katsura tree in Saugus Veterans Park – in the center of the photo – was planted in memory of women veterans of Saugus. Fall is the showiest season for the katsura tree because of its attractive fall color and the distinctive leaf fragrance. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) in order to collect social security benefits based upon his or her ex-spouse’s work history. The divorced spouse must have been married for at least 10 years. The divorced spouse must not have remarried. If remarried, the divorced spouse will still be able to collect benefits based upon the ex-spouse’s work history so long as the second marriage ended by death, divorce or annulment. If the divorced spouse did remarry, he or she could collect under either ex-spouse’s work history so long as the second marriage also lasted at least 10 years, or if the second spouse died, that marriage lasted at least 9 months. Furthermore, a divorced spouse must be at least 62 years of age or older to collect. If the ex-spouse is deceased and the divorced spouse is at least 50 years of age, the divorced spouse can collect social security benefits if deemed disabled by the Social Security Administration. A divorced spouse can begin collecting benefits so long as the ex-spouse is at least 62 years of age and he or she has been divorced for at least two years. The divorced spouse is eligiHONORING WOMEN VETERANS: At Saugus Veterans Park, this plaque dedicates the katsura tree that was planted as a tribute to the town’s women veterans. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) of several flowers. What we find on these two trees is somewhere in between the two fruit types! Elsewhere in Saugus there are still quite a few leaves on trees, especially Norway maples (Acer platanus) and a few species of oak (Quercus spp.). Norway maples usually have green leaves in summer that resemble sugar maple, but their fall color is almost always gold. It is not unusual to still have some foliage on these trees Editor’s Note: Laura Eisener is a landscape design consultant who helps homeowners with landscape design, plant selection and placement of trees and shrubs as well as perennials. She is a member of the Saugus Garden Club and offered to write a series of articles about “what’s blooming in town, since so many people have taken to walking the streets in their neighborhoods as a way to get some exercise and get out of the house!” ble to receive one half of the ex-spouse’s social security benefits. If, however, the ex-spouse dies, then the divorced spouse can then collect 100% of the ex-spouse’s full retirement benefit. This benefit would not include any delayed retirement credits the ex-spouse may receive. The divorced spouse would only be able to receive a benefit based upon the value of the ex-spouse’s benefit at his or her full retirement age. Full retirement age for those born between 1943 and 1954 is 66 years old. From 1955 to 1960, full retirement age gradually increases. For those born in 1960 or later, full retirement age is 67. A person born prior to January 2, 1954 has the option of first collecting based upon the ex-spouse’s work history while allowing his or her own benefits to grow until reaching age 70, and then switching over to his or her own work history. The law was recently changed so that a divorced spouse born after January 1, 1954 applying for social security benefits will automatically receive the highest benefit for which he or she is entitled to, based upon either his or her own work history, or the work history of the ex-spouse. He or she no longer has the option of collecting benefits based upon the ex-spouse’s work history and then switching over to his or her own work history at age 70. Nothing uncomplicated about social security benefits when dealing with divorce.
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