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DAVID BENTLEY'S WEEKLY COLUMN |
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WHEN THE WILLOW WEEPS
After the recent snow, ice, power failures, and percussive sounds of trees cracking and falling, another local writer and I met for a chat. Our exchange was more a verbal stream of consciousness than a coherent conversation; but after a week of isolation, there was comfort in hearing another voice and having one's own voice heard. Still, it was surprising when the topic of obituaries came up. My friend said we rarely know much about a person's history until we read their obituary. Even knowing the person for years as a colleague, neighbor or committee member, there is so much we don't know about one another until details of our lives appear in the newspaper for all to read.
Pondering my friend's observation, I looked at the Curly Willow lying on its side with exposed roots by the parking lot outside my office window. Despite the sticky deposits it left on automobiles in the spring, and the way its leaves got caught in car doors and windows, I hated to see the tree fall. Many people offered condolences for the uprooted willow. One suggested supporting the tree with ropes until it took root again. There was even controversy about its correct name. Was it a Curly Willow or a Corkscrew Willow? Research revealed the tree to be a Salix matsudana (SAY-licks mat-soo-DAY-nuh). Native to China, it is named for a Japanese botanist. Cultivated varieties have common names including Corkscrew Willow, Curly Willow, Peking Willow, Hankow Willow, Twisted-Twig Willow, Dragon's Claw Willow, and Tortured Willow. It prefers moist soil and full sun, can grow 20-40 feet high, and has a relatively short life span of 30 years or less. Who would have thought a tree had such an interesting background? As word of its fate spreads, more history about this particular tree will surely surface. At some point we may even have enough information to write a proper obituary. It's sad the willow actually had to weep for these facts to become known.
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SAN JUAN ISLANDER © 2008 |
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