William H. Wiley
402-875-1809
bill@wmwiley.com
1221 Rockhurst Dr.
Lincoln, NE 68510
On the shore of a southern Louisiana bayou, a sign conspicuously points out that abandoning a pet is “cruel and illegal.” Considering that alligators and other meat-eating creatures inhabit the bayou everywhere from its shoreline to the middle of the swamp, the thought of anyone dumping their dog or cat to fend for themselves is abhorrent.
The smooth serviceberry (amelanchier laevis) is a North American species of trees in the rose family, growing up to 30 feet tall. It grows primarily in eastern Canada and the eastern United States. The fruit, which are pomes, are edible and can be eaten raw or cooked. The fruit has a sweet flavor. The bark can be made into a herbal medicine for expectant mothers. It is a deciduous tree and is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental shrub.