A Puzzlement

"It's a Puzzlement," sings the King of Siam in "The King and I." Of course, he isn't talking about the presence of olive trees in southern Saskatchewan, far from the Mediterranean, but this has been a puzzlement to us for many years.

Happily, we now have an answer, thanks to the wonderfully named Parks Gardener in the City of Moose Jaw, Daily Lennox. Mr. Lennox writes: "The trees in  Moose Square are Russian Olives. The Latin name is elaeagnus augustifolia. They are a fairly common tree requiring very little care, and they like dry conditions, perfect for Saskatchewan. The fruit is edible, but dry and mealy. They are more of an ornamental tree, with silver leaves, peeling bark, strong smelling flowers, and whitish fruit."

We remember the olives as fuzzy and grey, and not what you would want to find in a martini, but we are most grateful to Mr. Lennox for his thorough and scholarly report.