No, I don't mean the early American slogan and flag.
Just take a look at the leaf below and then tell me if you would want to tread on this leaf if it were laying on the ground?
Just think if there were a whole forest of these trees and those trees shed their leaves and you had to walk through it in your bare feet!! Oh my, I shudder to even think of it.
OK, you don't like the red thorns on your leaves, then how about yellow thorns?
Just to prove that they are not all that bad, they also have small, pretty blooms. You know, to me, that doesn't seem to make them any more loving and I wouldn't want to try to pick a bouquet of them.
The next time you take a walk in the woods, just be thankful that you are not in Madagascar, where they are native. If you were, I guess that you could wear steel toed shoes that also had steel soles. Now, try not to step on any thorns but rather have a great day, you hear?
BTW, the name of that plant is a Porcupine Tomato.
Those are bad thorns in Madagascar, but the U.S. can top that. We moved to Oklahoma to discover the Honey Locust Tree. There are thousands of thorns on it. They fall off the tree and become weapons which are about 3/4 inch across and 4 to 5 inches long. I think Texas has them too. Cattle were brought through this region of OK years ago and they had been eating the Honey Locust Pods down south (which are good forage) and they left behind a legacy of these thorny trees sown amongst the prairie grasses.
ReplyDeleteTheres one at my sisters place, didnt know what it was til i looked it up online. HORRIBLE tree....
DeleteSo, I can blame the cows. Thanks, you know, I need someone or something to blame, right? Animals do spread lots of plants and bugs. People are not always to blame.
ReplyDeleteIt's not the cow's fault. Wish we had a cow or at least a goat We were told this story by a Red River Indian when we moved here . . . who knows? At least the honey locust pods are nutritious and tasty and people can eat them too. I haven't tried yet -- can't get past the thorns. haha
DeleteSure is hard to swallow thorns (grin).
DeleteAt first I thought you might have had some of these in your yard! They look absolutely deadly, and I wonder what nature had in mind when they first started to grow, and why only Madagascar!
ReplyDeleteSometimes your wonderings lead to more wonderings!
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DeleteI believe that it only grows in Madagascar. Hope it never spreads over here.
DeleteWhat IS that tree? I hope it has some redeeming quality..... At least honey locust provides the best honey I've ever tasted.
ReplyDeleteI have heard honey locusts make good honey but never got to taste any yet. I hear it is very expensive. Those trees in Madagascar are such pretty colors but I'm glad we don't have them here.
DeleteNature usually has a reason for every thing, but I sure as heck don't know why she produced that tree.
DeleteJanet, I, too, am glad we don't have them.
DeleteBTW, it is called a Porcupine Tomato
DeleteNo thanks I'll pass on walking on them, but then there is plenty of stuff down here that will get you and tires. Like sharp rocks and more.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, the desert can get you if you ain't careful.
DeleteNope and no thank you. Looks like steel toe work boot country.
ReplyDeleteSure does, and maybe a full suit of armor.
DeleteOuch, however they are pretty.
ReplyDeleteYes, I thought that they were pretty, too. . . at a distance!!
DeleteOuch is right!
ReplyDeleteSure hope that they never get a foot hold in this country.
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