Along the edge of our driveway, is a single flowering tree, a
tung tree. Eating even one seed can be fatal, making it an unusual choice for a horse farm. The tree itself progresses from lovely flowers through a long season of broad green leaves to a short winter with an unusual silhouette. This tree, about 5 1/2 feet tall when I planted it, was a rescue in its own way. The person who had originally bought it & planted it learned it was poisonous & dug it up. A mutual friend brought it to me.
Her reasons for removing the tree were straightforward, she, like me, has horses on her property & she did not want to risk them. A difference between us is I knew it was
poisonous when I planted it. This meant I could plant it well away from any animals that might be tempted, in a place where every dropped seed would be visible (the seeds of the tung tree are not small), any shoot from them easily pulled.
As a result, I can safely enjoy this beautiful tree. & so can the first bumble bee of the season & a variety of ants. What is the expression, one man's poison is another bug's bounty?
Along the edge of our driveway, is a single flowering tree, a tung tree. Eating even one seed can be fatal, making it an unusual choice for a horse farm. The tree itself progresses from lovely flowers through a long season of broad green leaves to a short winter with an unusual silhouette. This tree, about 5 1/2 feet tall when I planted it, was a rescue in its own way. The person who had originally bought it & planted it learned it was poisonous & dug it up. A mutual friend brought it to me.
Her reasons for removing the tree were straightforward, she, like me, has horses on her property & she did not want to risk them. A difference between us is I knew it was poisonous when I planted it. This meant I could plant it well away from any animals that might be tempted, in a place where every dropped seed would be visible (the seeds of the tung tree are not small), any shoot from them easily pulled.
As a result, I can safely enjoy this beautiful tree. & so can the first bumble bee of the season & a variety of ants. What is the expression, one man's poison is another bug's bounty?
Hm, I'd seeing an Agatha Christie murder mystery possible here.
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