Memorial Day is widely held to be the beginning of summer.
This year it was also the first day of Cottonwood Season.
Now there are piles of cotton everywhere: hanging in big tufts in the trees and scattered everywhere about the driveway and the walks, floating on the surface of the pool, pressed up against the grates of the condensing unit for the air conditioner. The AirConditioning system always gets its annual service after Cottonwood Season.
Our one cottonwood tree is fairly old, over 30 years, and large pieces of it break off in every summer thunderstorm or in the occasional winter ice storm. I used to worry that it would fall on the house, but no more, although it is still large, I don't think there is enough of it left to do major damage. In fact I would be happy if enough of it fell down that we had to replace it.
T
he problem is what I would I plant in its place? A big magnolia? I would love a big old magnolia although it is possible it might be just as much a pain to clean up after. I console myself by thinking the actual blossoms would be prettier and would make my heart sing. Of course, I am not replacing the cotton wood yet and when it does go it will take a substantial portion of the shade in the front of my house.
Still every year when the cotton falls I wish it were a different tree.
(magnolia image courtesy of White Flower Farm)
Comments
4 responses to “Cotton, Cotton everywhere”
Does it make for a lot of sneezing as well? I know what you mean about big old inherited trees — we have several fir, cedar, and a big old yew that we haven’t the heart to take down but that shade the wrong places and also require expensive trimming to keep safe (in case of big winds which would take down dead limbs).
I’ve never seen a cotton tree! And, while I love magnolias for a week and a half, I’d never want to have to clean up after one.
Cottonwood trees make me sneeze my head off. It is one tree I don’t love. The yellow flowers are lovely.
Cottonwood trees are notorious for blowing down in storms. I would be nervous having one so close to my house. Plus, I am allergic to their pollen.
I wonder how stable they would be in an earthquake…