This tree is next door. I'll call it "Neighbor Tree." It smells just fine.
This tree is all over the neighborhood. Let's call it "Stink Tree." Why? Because it stinks. It really, really stinks. What is this thing?
This tree smells good, and it's pretty. I'll call it "Short Pretty Purple Tree." I wouldn't mind having one of these in my yard.
Finally, we have my favorite neighborhood tree. I'm calling it "Fanta" because it smells exactly like grape Fanta. And whenever I smell it, I want one...the tree and the Fanta.
Next spring, I might go on a stealth mission to replace all the Stink Trees in the subdivision with Fanta trees. People might be mad at first, but they'll thank me when the neighborhood smells better and property values rise, I'm just sure of it.
4 comments:
I think they are dogwoods that stink. We call them "ass trees" for the obvious reason. L
We have a stink tree in front of our building! At first, by sight, I thought it was a nice crabapple or cherry, but then . . . the stinking. Fishy, almost. I don't think it's a dogwood, though -- I think dogwoods are almost rose-bush-like, but I could be wrong.
In any case, I believe your pretty-good-smelling trees are apples, and your Fanta is a crabapple. They're all some relation to apple, anyway. Apple blossoms are the best! My parents' house had red and golden apple trees in the yard. And peach trees, too, though they weren't as fragrant. Just think -- that's what your orchard will smell like!
Okay, I think it's a hawthorn tree. The Wikipedia entry was obviously written by some silly "holistic healing" person, and doesn't mention the smell. But check this out: "Mediaeval country folk also asserted that the smell of hawthorn blossom was just like the smell of the Great Plague in London." http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/forest/mythfolk/hawthorn.html
I think I figured out the stink tree: bradford pear. And it doesn't even bear fruit! I could stand the stench if it came with great fruit, but otherwise it's a no-go for me.
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