Tumbleweed and careless weed are here to stay and though careless weed is an Arizona native (Amaranthus palmeri) it certainly appears, at least to me, that it has become more prolific and widespread. But really it is the introduced exotic grasses that make me grumpiest. Many of the introduced grasses were thought of as beneficial…think Lehmann lovegrass (Eragrostis lehmanniana)… or showy in an urban landscape…think green fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum). I mean, Yikes!!! Anyway, the featured varmint in this show is Natal grass or Melinis repens, (formerly Rhynchelytrum roseum or sometimes R. repens, but always, oh dear.)
In the back of many seed catalogs you can find a section on ornamental grasses. I think that section should be called “invasive varmints”. But listen, go native my friends, because we don’t need anymore non-native grasses in the desert, the grassland or the sky islands of the borderlands.
The photos are mine and of natal grass out in the Galiuro Mountains.
This is a rambling episode about beer cans in the wild, plant gestalt, and instincts about places. Oh, and an interesting plant called Sideroxylon...
Seeing persimmons in an abandoned orchard at the Chiricahua National Monument pulled up a childhood memory and later I found myself pulling books off...
Petey takes a drive into the hills near his home to see spectacular fall color of the local sumacs.
