Isn't the blogging world an amazing place? Just when I think maybe I've said all I need to say and shown all I need to show, someone asks a question or tells me about something cool or suggests an excursion that I must share. Like yesterday when Heidi commented on my wisteria and mentioned a huge old plant near her town. I would never have known about it without the blogging world. So you know what I did? I jumped in the car with the Lord of the Manor and drove right up there to see it. And it was spectacular!
We could see the purple haze way up in the oak tree before we even turned the corner. And after we parked and got out the scent assaulted us. Then walking closer we could hear the drone of bees and the chatter of birds. For several minutes we stood open-mouthed, not speaking or taking photos, simply awed by its size. This ancient plant has climbed at least 40' up the tree and its vines romp through the tree and the flowers cascade through the branches.
click on photos to enlarge
I didn't measure around the trunk, but like Heidi said, I couldn't get my arms around it, so it had to be 24" across at the base. The oak tree was about 30" across for comparison. I wonder how old it is? And I wonder what sort of life the woman who planted had. Because I just know a woman planted it. A man on a small farm would be more concerned with planting crops, and tending animals, and making a profit, but a woman would want a little beauty out there on the farm. And I don't think she intended for it to climb up the oak tree because it's quite a ways from the tree, but somewhere along the line, it found the tree and really took off.
I deperately wanted a chaise lounge so I could lie there for a while absorbing the sights and sounds and smells of that special little world Amongst The Oaks. Thank you Heidi for sharing this treasure.
PS: Next to the oak tree and behind the little fence we found lots of these plants. I think they are black calla lilies (Arum palaestinum) and related to this plant I showed you last June.
7 comments:
Absolutely amazing. Thanks for sharing. We recently found just such a tree - in a field - not near any houses - so must have been a house near there at some time.
Oh my goodness!! Just where is that tree? Sounds like it would be a longer drive for me that it was for you, unless you went southwest to get to it. Thanks for sharing. It is definitely an awesome wisteria plant.
These pictures are so amazing! Love your blog, we used to live in northern California when we first married. Did lots of excursions every direction, and have lots of memories!
How gorgeous and what a great shape!
WoW!!! That was really sectacular!!!I can't believe it! I have never seen anything quite like that-what a treasure!!! I hope it can continue to stay and grow for many more years to come. Someone should have some kind of historical info on it and have it protected. Thanks for sharing-Hugs&Smiles~Tam!
You are so cool....why don't we ever do that at Elizabeth Hill...just jump in the car to go and see something we've heard about?
Thanks for the idea and for the photos! So neat!
Oh my goodness, such amazing beauty. There is an old homestead between Riverbank and Modesto, Ca. The whole place has been consumed in Wisteria. When my boys were little they thought the house you could faintly see through the vines was very interesting. Now you can't even see the house.
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