Sunday, May 22, 2011

Edgar the Tree

Yesterday's post showed an image of fruit blossoms that have surprisingly appeared on a PawPaw tree in our backyard.

Today's post is of a maple tree that is growing nearby.



Several years ago, after a visit with friends, I found my parked vehicle covered in hundreds of maple keys that had fallen from nearby trees. On a lark I gathered handfuls of these keys to plant them in small starter pots to see what would happen.

In short order the bulk of these seeds sprouted into tiny seedlings, and over the course of the Summer I either gave away or transplanted all of them in various locations. The empty pots (including those of the seeds that didn't take hold) I left at the side of the house, and subsequently forgot about them.

Months later I was surprised to notice a gangly seedling in one of the "empty" pots. This little guy was obviously a late bloomer, and now that it was late in the season I was hard pressed for ideas on where to plant him before Winter set in.

Without much thought I decided to place this seedling in the middle of the garden at the back of the yard, to see if he'd even survive the first snow. Survive he did, and by the next Spring it was growing by leaps and bounds.

In just a few year's time this tree has grown to over 20 ft. tall, and is now a permanent fixture in the yard. This tree's shade is especially welcome on hot Summer afternoons.

This tree has also been named. We call him: Edgar.

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