We've Expanded
A couple of weeks ago I came home from work and noticed a "FOR SALE 20 ACRES" sign at the top of our road. As I went down the road I saw another sign just past our drive on the property that had been set aside by the original land owners as a buffer between the subdivision lots and them. All of the lots in our subdivision were 5 or 7 1/2 acres and the buffer was 20 acres. My first thought was that they probably wanted an arm and a leg for it and then I thought about someone grabbing it up and putting a row of houses on it. I didn't want that to happen so I knew I needed to check into it. Luckily, Duhniece knew the real estate agent representing the seller, called him and he in turn called me. I made an offer, the owner accepted it and about a week or so later we closed.
We don't have any plans except to maybe cut some hay off of it prior to, more than likely, making it into a tree farm. But for several years I've noticed a tree nestled back among the honey locust and sumac that was totally different from all the rest. Now I was able to get closer to it and finally figured out what it was. A Chinese Empress or Paulownia tree.
This is a non-native species that has been in this country for a couple of hundred years. Interestingly enough, the seed pods of this tree contain a very soft, papery seed.
(oregonstate.edu/dept/
The seeds were used as packing material to ship porcelain from China and the crates often leaked, strewing seeds along railroad tracks. As it just so happens, the railroad track, built in 1855, runs a few hundred feet from where the tree sits today. But then again it could have been planted there decades ago by someone who wanted a fast growing, flowering tree.
So, I guess I got something unexpected out of the deal. Oh wait, I also got another acre of grass to cut down by the road. And trespassers camping back at the far end next to the woods. Life is full of surprises.
We don't have any plans except to maybe cut some hay off of it prior to, more than likely, making it into a tree farm. But for several years I've noticed a tree nestled back among the honey locust and sumac that was totally different from all the rest. Now I was able to get closer to it and finally figured out what it was. A Chinese Empress or Paulownia tree.
This is a non-native species that has been in this country for a couple of hundred years. Interestingly enough, the seed pods of this tree contain a very soft, papery seed.
(oregonstate.edu/dept/
The seeds were used as packing material to ship porcelain from China and the crates often leaked, strewing seeds along railroad tracks. As it just so happens, the railroad track, built in 1855, runs a few hundred feet from where the tree sits today. But then again it could have been planted there decades ago by someone who wanted a fast growing, flowering tree.
So, I guess I got something unexpected out of the deal. Oh wait, I also got another acre of grass to cut down by the road. And trespassers camping back at the far end next to the woods. Life is full of surprises.
Posted by TBF at 4/19/2010 10:20 PM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Chinese Empress tree paulownia tree
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Chinese Empress tree paulownia tree
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