Plants of the City

Along Larchwood Avenue, I don't know of any Larchwood trees, but I know a few things about the trees in front of my friend's house here. At left is a Tartarian Maple, which was A's choice of an already-needed street tree, but planted in honor of our mutual friend Barbara, who was taken by cancer about four years ago. It's native to Southeastern Europe but has been locally naturalized here in the Eastern US.

Under it is an opportunistic squash plant that's believed to have seeded from minor spillage from last year's trash.

At the right is a Japanese Maple that was already thriving when she bought the place. It was a pleasant added feature of the house, being a lovely ornamental tree.

At center is the most special tree of all. The bright green and blooming Franklinia was native to Georgia but is now extinct in the wild. In 1765 the botanist William Bartram identified the species and named it after his father's friend Benjamin Franklin, who is Colonial America's (and Philadelphia's) historical rock star. A. was editing a Franklin-related newsletter and looking after old Ben's tiny travelling chess set when she chose this tree to fill out the front yard. Every known Franklinia now is descended from the seeds William Bartram collected and brought to his home, which is now the nearby Bartram's Garden.

Here is more information on Bartram's Garden, where I have taken an earlier blip.