Polyonomous Promise

On the fringe of Spring.

Walking along the sidewalk in Washington DC on a beautiful spring afternoon, this frilly, fragrant blossom caught my attention. Meet “Grancy Graybeard”, also known as grandfather graybeard, granddaddy’s beard, old-man’s beard, snow flower tree, or flowering ash, and technically, chionanthus virginicus.

Trees sometimes have multiple names because of commingled colloquial and common names and standardized, scientific Latin names. Common names often highlight practical uses, appearance, or folklore, while scientific names ensure universal identification worldwide. Botanists call this a fringe tree, so I’m going with that.

"I know not how such things can be; I only know there came to me A fragrance such as never clings To aught save happy living things; A sound as of some joyous elf Singing sweet songs to please himself, And through and over everything, A sense of glad awakening."

Edna St. Vincent Millay

While it’s still quite chilly back home in Minnesota, the fragrance from such a happy living thing offers a welcome preview of spring and a sense of glad awakenings soon to come.