Garden Lanterns

Out near the Boysenberry row, there grows a few Japanese Lantern plants.  Usually, these are hastily ripped from the ground because most folks consider them to be invasive.  I consider them pretty!  So they stay.  So far with regular mowing and trimming, I have not seen more than a dozen plants at any given time.  I remember how Pop never let them grow in the corn field for fear that they would simply take over the area.  He would use his hoe on every plant that dared to sprout in that field!  Pop's fields were impeccable..unlike my small gardens.  I have a tendency to let weeds live if they provide me with some interesting flowers or seed pods.  The Japanese Lantern plant provides both!  

Most of the Japanese Lantern plants make small unobtrusive flowers but gorgeous fruit and seed pods.  The "lantern" is actually the covering of the small "cherry" that is hidden inside.  It is a protective housing for the fruit!  The paper-like covering does indeed resemble some ornate lantern.  Usually, this lantern will turn orange or bright red as the nights start to chill.  For some reason even though we are having quite cool nights as of late, my  lanterns are still green.  I am thinking that since the plants are literally under the Boysenberry hedge row, they are protected.  The frost may not have hit them yet.

This next spring when the new plants start to sprout, I am pondering if I should transplant a few into the flower gardens.  There they can be better tended and will receive fertilizer and more sunshine.  Perhaps then, I shall have the orange lanterns late next fall!  My poor pop!   He is probably looking down from Heaven and is shaking his head at me.  I can hear him now..."You better hoe those weeds out of that garden!  You will never get anything decent to grow!"  Pop...I am sorry!  I sort of think these are decent!  Or..maybe pretty!  Or..maybe interesting?   Anyway, if I am lucky and can find a few of the seeds once they mature, I will save a few for next spring.  This might prove easier than trying to untangle the roots of an existing plant from the roots of the berry vines. If I can isolate a few plants to a designated garden, I will feel better about clearing the originals from the Boysenberry vines.  Then I can have my pretty lanterns and will feel better about keeping my hedgerow clear of weeds!