That rotting, herbal scent in the Boston air is coming from the many, many Ailanthus altissima that have self seeded and invaded the yards and alleys around the city. When I put the search term stink tree into Google, my top hit is for Wikipedia's Ailanthus altissima entry so I'm not the only one with a nose that is sensitive to this summer bloomer.
It's appropriate that the seed droppings have outlined the manholes for Boston Sewer – these trees deliver the kind of smell that seems to belong with those words. Back Bay alleyways are wearing a coat of chartreuse and overhead the female trees are in full bloom.
If your allergies act up for the next couple of weeks, you may be sensitive to this pollen. Make sure you give your hands, face, and hair a wipe down after a walk through the yellow-green snow. And, if your pup is carrying some green dust home, give him or her a dip in some cool water to make sure the pollen clinging to a furry coat is not spread all over the house.
Back in 2008, I wrote a newspaper feature story on these trees and adapted it for BostonZest, here's a link.
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Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Ed Cherubino
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