My dad loved smoke trees. We used to drive out to Cathedral City when I was growing up because my godparents lived out there and so did my dad's aunt. He and I used to take long walks in the wash up in the cove in Cathedral City. He tried for many years to transplant a smoke tree for my godmother. He finally realized that for every inch above ground, there is a FOOT of roots below ground and he was finally able to successfully transplant one for her. As to how the smoke tree got its name...I really don't know, but, in a wash, they do look smoky. Oh, and you know there is water below the ground when you see them clumped in a wash. Their seeds have to be roughed up, during a storm, in order for their seed coat to be scratched and broken and opened. They are hardy trees and right now, as I posted earlier, they are blooming. I love seeing their blossoms along Highway 74 as it leads up to the mountains above Palm Desert. Here are some examples. To visit Outdoor Wednesday, please go to:
http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/
3 comments:
very neat.
I really enjoyed reading about the memories of smoke trees and your dad. The only time I have seen a smoke tree is in the city of Evanston, Illinois in front of a restaurant that serves omelets. Smoke trees and omelets odd combination in the middle of a busy suburb near Chicago.
Location of your smoke trees are absolutely thrilling.
Joyce M
Great photos and memories. The smoke trees I see tend to be a little scrawnier than this. Heading out to the desert this weekend so will see if they are flowering. Here's a link: http://www.desertusa.com/sep97/du_smoketree.html
Apparently they are named after their smoky color.
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