Friday, May 9, 2008

A Little Fringe on Top

One of my very favorite things about spring is this:



This fluffy little tree is actually several years old. It sits in our side yard near our neighbor's fence and sun porch. I love this little tree. It was here when we bought this house fourteen years ago. It's a fringe tree. What? You've never heard of a fringe tree? Well, me neither. Not until I moved here, and I've never seen another one. This little gal is absolutely beautiful this time of year. This picture doesn't do her justice. Take a few steps forward and get a closer look.



See all that fuzzy stuff? That's the fringe that pops out way after all the other trees have bloomed. Our little debutante likes all the attention. She waits patiently until the red buds and dogwoods have put on their show and dropped their blossoms. She sits there, day after day, holding her little buds tightly closed while we watch and wait, watch and wait, anxiously anticipating her annual debut. Just when we think she's never going to bloom, she pushes forth this long, fragrant fringe that droops like shredded coconut and sways in the spring breezes, sending her perfume across the yard and into our noses.



It's beautiful and kind of tropical. Her springtime dance lasts only a few days though, so we savor each one of them. She bloomed two days ago, and by Tuesday, she will probably be covered in just bright green leaves. We will mourn the passing of her blooms more than usual this year. Several weeks ago Hubby found a large dead spot in her midsection. We're doing everything we can to save her, but we're a little concerned she won't make it if we have our annual August drought. Keep your fingers crossed that she pulls through, and please tell me if you know anything about these little trees. Without her, I won't know when spring has arrived.

1 comment:

Amy said...

I love that tree, Hula. I have never seen anything like it before....It reminds me of a tree that you would see in a fairy tale.:)