Of Weeds and Blessings

The Tallow Tree adventure took an interesting turn yesterday.

The tree trimmers from the Electric Company arrived to trim back the Tallow Tree from the electrical wires. Turned out this simply act uncovered a disaster lurking unawares at the top of our power pole. Unbeknownst to us or the power company, the wires at the top of the pole were bare. All the coating has been worn off leaving the wires exposed and dangerous. In an electrical storm or other cause of a power surge, our house would be damaged severely. There was no reason for the power company to come look at the wires since there was no loss of service. There was no reason for us to think there was a problem. No reason whatsoever for anyone to examine the powerlines.

Except for a nuisance weed tree.



That tree for all that it was where it wasn't wanted, was a blessing in disguise. Isn't that the way of many blessings? Coming in the guise of trouble so we can easily miss it if we are looking. I guess that is why folks talk about the importance of "being in the moment" or "being present"...it helps us see the blessings in the midst of the weeds of life.

That Tallow Tree was hiding a few other secrets, too. A volunteer pecan tree and a bunch of Wild Cherry Trees. How did we not see these? Well, I guess they were hidden in plain sight. The pecan, already about six inches in diameter, was tucked behind the tallow and surrounded by the cherry trees. The cherry trees (at this point more "bush" than tree) were just so much background noise until the tallow was gone. The nice tree trimming crew, who also did more than just top off the tallow--they cut it to the ground for us, identified the wild cherry trees, thus elevating them from "background noise" to foreground fortuitous find.



Prunus serotina, Wild Cherry Tree (aka Wild Black Cherry)



Wild Cherry Trees are good for several somethings, it seems. A quick google search revealed that the bark has medicinal uses and the fruit (if one can beat the birds to it) makes a tasty jelly. The one potential problem is they may get very large. They can get upwards of 80 feet but one university site says such heights are unlikely in the piedmont and coastal regions of North Carolina. I plan to keep these pruned so they stay more on the bush-to-small-tree side of their potential.

The pecan tree they surround, however, does not have quite so bright a future. It is just too close to the power pole and, in fact, is heading straight for the powerline. It will, alas, have to go. But, on the upside, there are several other volunteer pecans and an oak that are small enough for repositioning to better spots.

While I am thrilled to be able to encourage the grown of several pecan and one oak tree in my backyard (which desperately needs tall shade trees), it does mean relocating the orchard. Now, the fruit trees I had planned to put back there will have to go in the garden area with the blueberries and fig...or somewhere...this means also moving the grape and kiwi vines...here we go again...better now than when the trees are in the ground!

Best laid plans of mice and men and journeys that never quite "get there".....

Weed Tree?

Not all weeds can be uprooted by hand. Some won't come up with a hoe, either.

If you live in or have traveled through, the Southeast United States, you have probably seen "the vine that ate the South" otherwise known as kudzu. Kudzu was planted extensively during the 1930's as a soil conservation method. Not a good idea. The vine is seriously, majorly invasive. It also defies all efforts at eradication. It is useful, though. The root can be eaten by humans, the vines make good forage for goats and also can be used to make baskets.



Chinese Tallow Tree - The Tree that Ate the South!



But, you may not have heard of a weed tree that is also taking over the Southeast. I certainly had never heard of it. But, now, one has shown up in our yard. Actually, it has been here a few years but it is just now making itself noticed. What is this weed tree? It's called a Chinese Tallow Tree. Ol' Ben Franklin brought it here thinking it was a "useful" plant. Useful because the seeds produce a wax and an oil. The wax was used by the Chinese for candle making and the oil for burning in lamps. But, in the Southeast, it has no natural restraints to it's domination. And, dominate it is! As I am learning, this tree propagates quite easily and, with the help of birds, widely. It also is not willing to die quietly. Cut it down. It grows back tenfold. Grind the stump. It grows back a hundredfold. Try to pull up the roots. It grows back a thousandfold.



There is one possible solution. It involves my lowering the moratorium on purchasing a chemical product produced by The Great Evil Empire, Monsanto. Round-up is the one answer, so I'm told, to the problem of the Tallow Tree. So, this once -- and just this once -- I will purchase Roundup. Tomorrow, I plan to call the electric company and see if they would come and cut down the tree since it is next too and involving a power pole and line. If they will do that, then once the tree is gone and the stump remains, the stump will be well dosed with Roundup at the open wound. If all goes to plan, the stump will draw in the pesticide and carry it to it's roots and all will die die die. Plan B if the power company does not want to cut it down is to cut one limb at a time and treat the cut area with Round-up until we get it down to the trunk.

I'll keep you posted as to the progress of ridding our homestead of THE TREE THAT ATE THE SOUTH.