Among the many wild plants and flowers and other natural items that adorn our tree are sprigs of white-blossomed pearly everlasting . . . maroon-colored cups from the northern pitcher plant . . . sweet goldenrod, with its light, aniselike scent . . . cones of staghorn sumac, picked crimson red in July . . . buttonbush branches, with their nubby, marblesize pods . . . shimmering, winglike, translucent seedcases from a variety of “weeds” . . . sprigs of sweet sorghum . . .
deep orange Chinese lanterns . . . clusters of merry red highbush cranberries . . . small wild apples . . . flouncy plume-grass heads . . . and star bursts of September-white Queen Anne’s lace.