Yesterday, three friends and I went on a road trip to see a Paulownia or Empress Tree, also known as a Foxglove tree, that a gardening friend told us about.
We pulled off the road in a Myrtle Beach residential area as much as we could to grab a photo of the tree.
Right next to the car in the neighboring yard, we saw this bird house. These traffic light ‘doors’ are for sure the cutest doors I’ve seen this week. I wonder which door the birds favor – stop, caution, or go. 🙂
Getting a photo of the tree was a little challenging since it is close to a house, has wires running through it, and we were stopped right in the road. Even though I got a photo of the tree that shows you its size, you can’t really see the flowers. So, I’ve borrowed one from Barcham Trees, UK, that will allow you a close-up view.
The Foxglove tree was introduced to central and western China in the early 1800’s. The wood of a mature tree is highly valued for making furniture, but when growing in its native environment it can also produce as many as 20 million seeds per year. Now, that is a lot of seeds floating and falling in a yard.
Consider this a two-for-one Thursday – doors and gardening. 🙂
Now throw caution to the wind and head on over to Norm Frampton’s Thursday Doors, March 15, 2018, to see doors from all walks of life and all around the globe.
The tree is beautiful, Judy. I like the effort you went to to get the photo (and I like the birdhouse). I hope you rewarded yourself for the effort (lunch, brew?)
20 million seeds? I hope the birds like them.
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Yes, lunch before we tried to track that tree down which was no easy task even though we had a handwritten map, and I was using my phone map. Brings to mind an old joke – how many ladies does it take to find a tree. 🙂 These ladies don’t drink beer. Can you imagine anyone not drinking beer?
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I’m going to struggle with that one, Judy, but I guess it’s OK. I mean, to each her own. I love journeys that start with a hand-drawn map of some curious directions.
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The map actually had a big X on it where the tree was suppose to be. We all had a laugh, and I must admit I’ve never followed a map with an X before. Made for a good afternoon.
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Love the birdhouse! Perfect example of how it’s just not people who like entering a welcoming opening into a place of safety, warmth, and comfort!
I am SO glad you’re not “up there,” and “enjoying” the weather that’s battering New England now! Happy to see you in the land of blossoming Foxglove trees and stoplight bird houses!
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Hope your winter hasn’t been too bad. My next door condo neighbor is from MI as are several other folks here. Another two weeks and they might as well change the traffic pattern since there will be a mass exodus from the bottom of FL up the entire coast with everyone heading north. 🙂
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That birdhouse is too cute….and clever. What a gorgeous tree. How in the world do they handle all those seeds? I’m guessing they have very fat birds! Lol.
Both of these are great finds.Nce road trip to share with your friends.
Hope these last days of your winter getaway are super special.
•••Ginger•••
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This last week and a half is packed, but it is a lot of fun. The weather has been cooler with brisk winds, but the sun still shines so all is well. 🙂
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Sweet bird house! I had never heard of the empress tree. Lovely flowers. And, yes, 20 million seeds are a lot of seeds.
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It looks like a gorgeous tree, and the blooms are lovely! Does it perfume the air or no? 20 million seeds! I wonder how they manage to have only one tree and not an orchard of them popping up all over the place? WOW!
The birdhouse is cute.
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I don’t know if has perfume. The flowering plant, Foxglove, does not have a nice smell. 🙂
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As much as the birdhouse is pretty, the blossoms on that tree are gorgeous! I love that delicate creamy-mauve. There are so many pretty trees that we don’t have up here!
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It’s a lovely tree with a pretty shape. I’m amazed that they haven’t done “Directional Pruning,” as they call it to create space around the wires.
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Love both!
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What a special treat today! Love both things. The cute birdhouse and the unique tree! Thanks for sharing!
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I have never known about the Foxglove tree, Judy so thanks for sharing. The bird’s house is funny and I suppose they favor the green one.
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It is pretty funny. 🙂 Your purple crocus are beautiful. But, I definitely wouldn’t walk on that ice – too scary. At home, we have fish shanties on the ice and every year either a shanty or a vehicle goes through the ice and has to be dragged out. 🙂
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Me too Judy, I would never walk on ice. There weer 3 person who decided to check the thickness of ice and power of Neva flow. One of them was from Brazil , ha ha.
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I have read about the foxglove tree many times but I’ve never seen one. It’s really beautiful. I really would like to know which door the birds use the most and I think this might be my most favorite ever bird house. So creative
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Glad you liked the bird house because I did too. I thought I’d seen a lot of them but I’ve never seen one in the shape of a traffic signal. 🙂 That tree was really interesting to see. When our friend, Doris, told us about it, I was amazed. To see those blooms in a tree just boggled the mind.
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That is the coolest idea for a birdhouse!
BTW I went ahead and added this post to our link-up list.
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Thank you. 🙂 I got busy and had to leave for the day and forgot.
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That would mean a lot of time pulling out unwanted seedlings every year. Or you could leave them and have a forest.
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Thank you for the smile. 🙂
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Two-fers are always good value, Judy. Thanks. I love that bird house. There are so many whimsical bird houses, aren’t there? I wonder whether the birds really care.
janet
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I love foxgloves so I’ll look out for that tree … I ‘Ve never heard of it. The bird house is very cute … I wonder if our cockatoos would consider it!
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Now would that be something – those gorgeous birds picking stop, caution, or go. 🙂
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… Now there’s a thought!
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I’ve never heard of a Foxglove Tree and now feel like I’m smitten. So pretty and with a shape that appeals to me. Cool.
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Clever birdhouse design!
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I’d not heard of a foxglove tree Judy, it’s beautiful!
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A foxglove tree! Among many other things I’ve never heard of! The tree and the birdhouse are indeed a great two-fer, and wonderful with my morning coffee. I do appreciate the lengths you go to in order to get that exact right picture you’re after!
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Such lovely bird house. Interesting informaiton on tree I have never heard of.
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What a gorgeous tree and that birdhouse is super cute !
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Great idea for a birdhouse and love your interpretation of Thursday doors.
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Oh yeah, that’s adorable! Great doors! Twee doors, wee doors, tee-hee!
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I wonder if the colour of the doors affects which one they use. The Pawlonia tree photo reminds me of travelling through China in spring and seeing hundreds of them in flowere, a stunning sight.
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Fun! And what a bonus, to go looking for a tree and get a special “Thursday doors” as well!
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Love the birdhouse, so unusual.
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Love those traffic light doors, Judy. I wonder if they are squirrel proof? 😃
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Well, now, that is an interesting question, and I’m going to guess the answer is no. 🙂
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That tree is still very rare, even though it has been around for years. People see some of the older trees in bloom, and really like them, until they learn how fast they grow, and how they do not last very long. However, the big tree at the main post office in San Jose is probably about thirty years old now, and still looks great. There are some in the neighborhood that seem to be seedlings from the original.
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Thank you for all your recent comments on my other blog.Sorry, I had some issues with this one, past few weeks (my comments didn’t go through), but yesterday I finally was able to solve it – yay!
Love your first photo – actually it’s I think a very good one – because of the bright traffic light colors, and the house and tree/bushes neutral colors!
Talking about fox gloves – I LOVE the stunning colors they have – we had them in a house we rented when living in Holland.
Have a lovely weekend! here it’s snowing, so more time behind the computer:):)
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That birdhouse is just way too cute!!!! And how you trekked down that marvelous tree!!! I applaud you!
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Great birdhouse! First I’ve heard that another name for Paulownia is Foxglove Tree.
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What a treat to winter in the warmer climates where you can see these rare trees and flowers.Glad I stopped in to view this one 🙂
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I saw an entire bed of beautiful purple Iris in a front yard yesterday and almost bumped the curb gawking. 🙂
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I can relate lol
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