Last week I went to the dentist in Front Royal. My appointment went quickly, and afterward I stopped at a farm store called The Giving Tree. I wondered if the name was inspired by the huge tree at the edge of the parking lot.
Inside the store, there’s a colorful collage-style mural of a tree.
When I looked at the big tree outside, I noticed it had the seed pods of a maple, but the leaves looked different. I took a picture of a leafy branch and asked my phone to identify it. It’s a box elder, which is a type of maple. There are also other names for it, and the latin name is acer negundo.
Box elder saplings sometimes grow in thickets near rivers. I remember feeling very concerned when passing through them because they looked like poison ivy, and I am quite allergic to it. Later I felt foolish when I found out what they were, but I was just now relieved to read in Wikipedia that saplings are often mistaken for poison ivy. I am so glad it was not just me being paranoid!
Also, the leaves are so different from other maples that some botanists think they are a totally different species. The seed pods, however, are distinctly maple-like, and will eventually turn brown and float down, spinning like helicopters.
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| Mosaic Monday / Murals |
Is that tree made with pieces of fabric? Looks wonderful, plus all the beautiful colours at the Giving Tree store. Thanks for participating in Monday Murals Linda. I'm off to Portugal tomorrow and will be finishing my implant treatment.
ReplyDeleteI think they’re fabric, but I couldn’t get too close because there’s a freezer in front of it.
DeleteBeautiful mural work. The Giving Tree looks great.
ReplyDeleteBox Elder is quite common here.
ReplyDeleteI love how this simple stop turned into a little moment of discovery, especially noticing the details between the tree outside and the mural inside.
ReplyDelete...in the grand scheme of things Acer negundo is towards the bottom of things!
ReplyDeleteYes, it can be invasive.
DeleteNice mural, and I also wonder what it's made from. Glad to learn box elders are related to maples, which I did not know!
ReplyDeleteLovely post, enjoyed reading about the tree
ReplyDeleteMuch love
I love the tree mural, I am not sure if I have seen a Box Elder tree. Take care, enjoy your day!
ReplyDeleteWhat a pretty mural- and gosh I wonder how long it took to make! I stay clear of poison ivy and poison oak, so if I saw something that resembled either I would definitely walk away or around.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting the Linkparty MosaicMonday with your greatful Post.
ReplyDeleteThank you for leaving your nice comment too.