Just A Tree Lover, Not a Hugger.

I have always had a love affair for trees. I love watching them grow from saplings until they are stately and tall . Of course that can take a while! Still, we can go back to some of the subdivisions we worked on years ago and those trees that were pencil size then, now are towering over two story homes.

I have tree identification books because I am always on the prowl for unusual trees that may not be native to our neck of the country. And of course there are those trees the settlers planted on their homesteads. Sometimes I enjoy finding a grove of non native trees and studying the site to see if an old settler's home was once there. In this area they would plant fast growing and sometimes medicinal trees.

One of my favorites is the "Tickle Tongue " or "Tooth Ache" tree.

We have a few of these unusual trees on our property. They aren't the most attractive things. If you chew on the berries or seeds it is almost akin to when a dentist preps you. ( Now don't go out experimenting by putting some unkown berries in your mouth!) The early Texas settlers didn't have the luxury of dentists, so hence "the toothache tree," was one of their remedies. Another name for the tree is "Hercules Club Tree" because the limbs have round nodules on the bark with small spikes at their tip. I guess the limbs would make an awsome club.

If you enjoy selling farms, ranches, and rural properties it always helps to know a little about the native flora and fauna just to make things more interesting and attractive to your prospects.

Have a prosperous week!

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