Prim Roses, Chinaberries, and May Pops
Can you
remember those delicate little pink flowers that grew wild
along the road side called Prim Roses? They had five or six
pink petals and a yellow center caused by an unusual amount
of pollen. As a joke, we used to have someone smell one and
push it to his nose leaving a yellow deposit. Have you seen
any lately?
Chinaberry
trees were very common at one time, often used as shade
trees. In the spring they had these small blue flowers with
a sweet odor. Later clusters of green berries would appear.
As children we would have Chinaberry fights throwing them
at each other. In the fall the berries turned light yellow.
We were told never to eat them because they were poisonous.
Have you seen any lately?
From late May
through October the Passion-flower bloomed. It had white
background petals with purple string--like fronts. Its
center was white with a five pronged stem in the middle. It
was called a Passion-flower because to some it resembled a
crucifix. We always called it a May Pop flower. It produced
a large green berry about the size of a hen egg called a
May Pop. When you stomped it, it would make a loud pop. As
it ripened it turned yellow and we would sometimes eat it.
It didn’t taste too good but it would do if you were hungry
enough. Have you seen any lately?
They
seem to have just disappeared. Probably members of the
younger generation don’t even know what I’m talking about.
I sure would like to find some. It would be nice to pick
some Prim Roses, throw some Chinaberries, and stomp some
May Pops.