Clusters of purple blossoms that remind me of grapes, hanging from trees where it shouldn’t be.
Wisteria. An early herald of the arrival of spring.
I’d seen wisteria at the entrance of the church's driveway and pulled in to get some photos. Then, further down the parking lot, I saw the bank of blossoms starting high in the air and cascading down to eye level.
What a sight it was.
A chilly breeze rocked the vine, fluttered the petals, and blew the fragrance over to where I stood. And, oh, the smell!
Despite its beauty, this type of wisteria means trouble. It's a fast-growing invader, and sure enough, the vine is wrapped around a magnolia tree. I can see the magnolia’s long, oval, waxy leaves above.
Because it isn't cultivated, this wisteria tends to grow in untended places, like the sides of highways and undeveloped areas.
One reason I like it is it adds a natural wildness to the usually carefully manicured, properly pruned landscaping in our area. The other reason is that purple is my favorite color.
When the wisteria stops blooming and the last bit of fragrance drifts away, it will go back to just being a vine—and a pest, at least to that magnolia.
And while I do see the implications of what will happen to the magnolia and any surrounding trees if the vine is not cut down, for now I'm glad that its beauty and fragrance are available to anyone who happens by. And I’m glad I did.
Where have you seen beauty today?
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