Tree Love
Rare European tree blossoms here in Mount Pleasant
For Mauricette Case, gardening has always been a great joy. The Mount Pleasant resident has lived in the town since 1971, but she is originally from France.
“I am from the small, central town of Chateauroux,” she explained. “I originally came to America and moved to Mount Pleasant with my husband.”
Among the things Case brought with her from France was a small bud from a French plant known as cytis.
“Cytis only grows in the far west of Europe, and through the middle of France,” she said. “It is in the same family as the laburnum tree, but instead of the seeds growing in a pod, they grow on a flower.”
Case planted the cytis bud in the backyard of her Mount Pleasant house, and thought nothing of it. For years, nothing happened. But 25 years later, this past spring, the cytis bloomed for the first time.
She is unsure why a plant that is not native to Michigan has appeared to blossom here but feels the climate of Michigan must be similar to the climate where it typically grows.
The bush, which now stands about 7-feet tall, stands among many other plants in Case’s backyard. Her love of plants and gardening gave her the chance to develop an impressive backyard garden of many different plants, including French marigolds.
She explained that the cytis plant is among other plants such as chrysanthemum, and it is recommended that no one touch it because it is poisonous. She makes sure to wash her hands after touching the plant.
“I love flowers, I love plants,” she said, adding that she loves spending time out in her garden tending to her flowers.
Case, now retired, has taught French at Northwood University, helping business students gain an understanding of the language, and has substitute taught in the Mount Pleasant school district and the Shepherd school district.
She said she loved her time substitute teaching in the Shepherd district and loved when kids would ask if she was substitute teaching their class that day.
“That was always very flattering,” she said. “I miss those kids.”
The laburnum tree, which is of the same family as the plant, is commonly referred to as golden chain. It is deciduous, and its leaves are trifoliate and somewhat look like a clover. The seeds on each bud are used for the growth of new plants, and turn black when they are ready to fall from the plant.
