the wisdom of a little shrub

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Here in the tropics there’s a shrub that bursts into sensational bloom in the heart of winter.  It’s called the snowflake shrub*: when flowering, it resembles a mass of delicate white snowflakes.

The interesting thing about this shrub is that if you plant it beside a light source that isn’t natural – like a street light – it refuses to flower.

It will only flower on the side away from the artificial light.

It only responds to the real thing; artificial input shuts down its natural instinct to bloom.

I bow deeply before the savage wisdom of this little shrub.

~

*Euphorbia leucocephala