ALL THAT WHITE! by Kevin Mouser

When my parents call me from St. Louis, one of the go to questions in the spring is, "Are the dog woods blooming?" They know that this will never get a straight answer from me, but they love me so they tolerate my rambling stories about the wonderful springs here in southwest Missouri. Dog wood trees are definitely a popular tree, they have festivals, roads, and many other things named after them. Many towns even sponsor a day of driving in the country with just the purpose of seeing these lore wrapped beauties in bloom.

What if I told you that most of the white trees you are admiring aren't dog woods? Is that horrible news or are you suddenly excited about the diversity and beauty our region has to offer? Well, if you are excited, let me tell you about a small white tree that decorates our fence rows and forest edges. After it finishes decorating our world and being one of our first harbingers of spring it finishes the year with a sweet treat, if you are quick enough to find one. What is this wonder of our world? The wild plum tree.

Enjoy the spring and all the beautiful white flowers, but know that there is diversity in them there hills, and you are getting just a glimpse of it. If you are intrigued by this hint of diversity then maybe leave the road and explore a conservation area or state park. There are a myriad of beautiful, small flowers that you need to see to believe.