A duck, public vandalism, and foxtails. It’s a jungle out there.
March 20 was the first day of spring, and it was apparent everywhere. The weather was unusually warm for this time of the year, and some people were not pleased. Alameda’s famous street trees are budding, adding a shimmer of green to the naked branches of winter.
One of my favorite horticultural sites this time of year is located near the corner of Alameda Avenue and Paru Street. There is a unique bush right at the sidewalk in full bloom now. The bright yellow flowered Flannel Bush is native to California and very drought-resistant, which will be very important this year. Over my five years of reporting, this is the only one of these plants I have found on the island. Has anyone seen others?
Unfortunately, spring is also the time of year that foxtails start to appear in resident yards and along the planting strip. These little seeds are so dangerous to us canines, because they can burrow into a paw, cause inflammation/infection, and could require surgical removal—a very expensive proposition…