10/24

i have one of these in my back yard,
it started growing about 8 years ago,
a year after we moved in.
it's an ailanthus altissima,
also called: tree of heaven, shumac
and for some reason; stinking sumac
it is also the tree that inspired a tree grows in brooklyn"
and it is also considered to be a "weed tree"
but
i was captivated by its delicate beauty
and it is now about 20 feet tall.
this summer it bloomed white spikey "blossoms"
and then this fall
it was covered with these light green pods
that created a marvelous contrast to its darker green leaves,
giving lovely depth to the landscape of the back yards
i am happy to see it also thrives in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
:)