In Literature Class, we’re reading a book that’s set in 12th century Korea. It’s called “A Single Shard”. I really like it. It’s a good story, and it’s well-written, so it’s easy to get carried away with the story and feel the character’s feelings.
The book frequently mentions paulownia trees, which would seem like something exotic, but it’s not. These trees were long ago brought to North America, where they have reseeded themselves and are now growing wild. In fact, there are quite a few that line the beltway around Baltimore. Since I was completely stopped in traffic one afternoon, I was able to take a picture.
Their common name is empress tree or princess tree. They’re the ones that are flowering in the picture below.
The traffic in the other direction was not stopped.
How do you know these things? You’re like an encyclopedia.
Are the blossoms purple? They remind me of lilacs.