A Pea Tree

 

Pea flowers above the quarry

Visitors to Halibut Point last week encountered a spectacular view of the Babson Farm Quarry, framed in pea flowers. 

The white blossoms, distinctly pea-like and with crimson centers, hung in racemes from black locust trees. Fortunately some were displayed at eye level for close appreciation.

A blooming black locust tree, Robinia pseudo-acacia,
in front of the Visitors Center

The flowers covered the towering tree canopies in a profusion of petals.

A pine tree overshadowed by locusts

Since they have similar flowers, could those lofty trees indeed be legumes, akin to sweet peas and clover? I reread a ten year old Note from Halibut Point, The Pea Family.

Bird's foot trefoil, Lotus corniculatus

Yes, the botanical line is clear, if not the easy logic.

Bird's foot trefoil in the meadow

Legumes in general have advantages as pioneer plants in poor soil areas such as existed in re-vegetation of the quarry terrain, and in parts of the recent landscape renovation of the State Park.

Purple crown vetch, Securigera varia

As nitrogen fixers the legumes are able to improve growing conditions not only for themselves but the succession of plants that coexist with or follow them.

Black locust garland

The brief flowering of locust trees is an event worth marking on June's calendar. Then the fallen blossoms carpet Park paths like the aftermath of a tickertape parade.