I just had to share this photo, because juneberry blossoms are very short-lived. This tree is in my back yard. Our local woods are filled with lacy sprays of juneberry flowers that seem to float like clouds amid the other trees, still gray and bare.
Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord,
all the whole earth.
Juneberries in bloom
2 comments:
That's really beautiful. I think this is the plant called "serviceberry" or "shad bush" here. That last name comes from the fact that the shad are spawning in the Delaware River at the time the blossoms come out.
And that would be Amelanchier alnifolia, of course, if I were talking to my little neighbor next door.
I've never seen one in person, so I thank you most heartily for posting this pic. My Viburnum x Burkwoodii (that sounds really cute and funny when a 4-year-old says it, BTW) is out, too - that's a sort of Spice Viburnum. I don't know if you get them out there (I think they are native wild plants here in the U.S.) or if people plant them, but they have a simply gorgeous perfume. Like you've died and gone to heaven.
And my lilacs are out, too. I'm really happy this time of year.
Yup -- serviceberry is another name for it.
I love these trees. And I think they're an underutilized landscaping tree; not only do they have the beautiful flowers in spring, but in the fall their leaf colors are wonderful as well. They're very hardy. And of course they attract birds.
I've eaten juneberries -- when I can get at them before the birds do -- they're quite bland and seedy with a sort of almond-y taste. But I know in the colder climates in Canada they're popular for pies and preserves. And they've developed some "improved" varieties with much bigger fruit and, I think, bigger flowers as well. I'd like to see one of those.
We have viburnum around here, but I've never encountered a spice viburnum. Yours sounds really interesting. I'll have to check that out the next time I'm at a nursery. (Actually...when I'm at our agency's satellite office, which is close to a very nice-but-pricey nursery, I like to spend my lunch time taking "mental health moments" there amid all the interesting trees and shrubs.)
Re cute kids and science...this Friday at a local pizza joint I had a delightful conversation with a tiny kiddo about my hematite jewelry. (I have a necklace I call my Betty Rubble necklace -- big irregular hematite beads, weighs about 5 pounds, excellent for self-defense.;-)) I let her pick it up: "WOW!" I think she probably sat in her car reciting, "HEMATITE! HEMATITE! HEMATITE!" all the way home, for which I'm sure her mother was most grateful. LOL
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