When I was growing up we had an abundance of weeds in the little lanes around our home.
Lantana (Lantana camara L) was the prettiest, and the most hated by the authorities, of these American plant invaders. Lantana was declared to be a noxious weed. One could be fined for having it on one’s property. Khakibos (Tagetes minuta) with its pungent smell was the most harmless. Blackjacks were horrible, pricking one’s sensitive skin when they stuck to one’s clothes. And the pricks needed to be taken out one by one. Naturally blackjacks were the least favourite of the children. Apparently blackjacks are a strain of cannabis (marijuana). Not certain if that is true.
I seldom see weeds anymore. Our lanes are tarred. Our sidewalks are paved. The weeds have retreated. So it was something of an unexpected pleasurable trip down memory lane to find this collection of weeds this morning, standing forth proudly in the autumn sunshine. This made me happy for some peculiar reason.
Weeds: Lantana on left, with khakibos in the middle and blackjacks in the front on the right.
