Nature Nurturing Nature: Stump Flowerpots
January 21, 2020
Photographer: Menashe Davidson
Summary Author: Menashe Davidson
In trees, heart rot is a fungal disease that causes the decay of wood at the center of the trunk and branches. This disease is prevalent throughout the world, affecting all hardwood trees, including in my citrus plantation in Israel. Infected trees eventually lose their strength and suffer from limb breakage when supporting a heavy fruit load and/or during strong winds, conditions they could normally handle when not diseased.
Since several of the old stumps from these damaged trees are found in my citrus plantation, and because I manage a home garden, in Rishon LeZion Israel, of ornamental plants grown in containers, I took advantage of the stumps by making flowerpots made of logs. Nature sometimes supports those who work the land in unexpected ways. I enjoy my home garden even more now that these once useless pieces of my citrus orchard serve as the vessels for my beautiful flowers.
Top photo taken on January 4, 2010. Inset photo, Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus), taken on September 14, 2019.