Visit

We took a little trip over our winter break to visit my brother and his family in the middle east. It was interesting for me to look at the plants growing in and around the city.  Especially the wild stuff.  Plant nerd stuff follows:

A huge, healthy Moringa oleifera tree behind the bathrooms at a local museum. I have never seen one this big, so I have no idea how old it is.

My assumption is that the roots have found their way into the waste stream of the bathrooms, because most other M. oleifera in the area are not simultaneously putting out dark green leaves, flowers and seed pods all at once.

There were some exceptionally long pods on the tree.

Huge numbers of flowers.

There were a bunch of shining sunbirds (Cinnyris habessinicus) drinking nectar out of the flowers.

Thorn mimosa (Vacellia nilotica) at the same museum.  Incredibly thorny, nitrogen fixer. One of a few trees that produce gum arabic.

Lignum-vitae (Guaiacum officinale). Ornamental that is planted all over the city.  Interesting fact, the wood is denser than water and will sink.

Mmm, plants.

Side note, apparently in northwest France, spring begins in late January.  Daffodils and crocuses are coming up and bushes are pushing out new leaves. Spring in this part of France is as long as summer in Nashville. Brassicas do incredibly well.

(A)