Sloe Plum Ready for the Holidays

 

Several years ago I decorated my sloe plum with Christmas balls. I had seen this done on a similar small tree at the Botanical Garden in Chapel hill, NC. It was stunning with snow all around. Because the tree has thornlike fruit spurs, I leave the decorations on all year. Also because to me it seems an unnecessary task and I like to see the balls. They are especially nice when the tree is in bloom. At any rate I usually add a few every year, as the older ones fall or become grimy looking. I am working on an idea to put some in the top of the tree without getting my eyes stabbed out.
I originally got this tree from seed collected at Allen's Mill in Chambers county, Alabama. I have to trim it every year to keep it from becoming a hazard with low growing limbs, but in the last couple years, it is becoming more erect and my trimming job has decreased.

Chambers County Lake

 

 

 

I always enjoy a trip over to Chambers County Lake, but especially in the fall. We used to go when the children were still at home and just wander around and look for bugs and leaves, etc. We never fished as far as I remember. We did picnic a couple of times, and usually fabricated some excuse for dabbling in the water in the spillway. The reflection of the trees in the water is a beautiful sight anytime but the colors of fall make it extra special. Sweetgums are great fall trees. There can be a myriad of colors on one tree, as there are on the one in the top picture. Purple, almost black, bright and dark shades of red, orange, and yellow, with some green thrown in for good measure. The bottom two pictures are of the race to the spillway. You can see and hear the water in the spillway by going here.