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But if you are out in the woods and it looks like wild flowers then it's probably okay.
Not everywhere, and definitely not if a plant is endangered or is protected for other reasons. For example, the woods near me are famous for having bluebells in the spring. It's spectacular because they fill the hillside--if everyone started taking cuttings the effect would be ruined. There aren't a whole lot of park rangers there, unfortunately, but if one sees you cutting one of the bluebells you'll get a fine. And don't even think about taking a cutting from the famous cherry trees on the tidal basin in DC. They have a real problem with that each spring.
Also property that may seem to be "out in the woods" may belong to someone. My sister in law has a real problem with people who trespass on her property in the Berkshires to harvest wild leeks growing there. It ticks her off because she doesn't like having trespassers, and more importantly the leeks were one of the reasons she bought the property. She's tried putting up "no trespassing" signs but when she confronts people either they claim they didn't see them or they just act like they have a right to go into woods that appear to be "out in the wild" and dig up/cut whatever they like. A lot of those people don't know what they're doing, too, and they end up hurting plants and leaving her property looking marred.
Well, there is the story of the Rose Rustlers of Texas, who went around collecting cuttings from roses which survived in cemeteries and on old homesteads. They had some sort of prayer or poem they'd say when 'borrowing'... or something...
Anyway, most of the Antique Rose cultivars now back in commerce and gracing our public spaces are descended from those rescued by Rose Rustlers - just in the nick of time - before jackasses started spraying herbicides all over the place. Many of the cemeteries where those roses grew have been transformed into virtual dead zones by misapplied herbicides. The original plants are dead, and many cultivars would have become extinct, were it not for the Rose Rustlers.
But basically, if it would matter, then you don't do it. If it wouldn't matter, then you can (ethically, although maybe not legally), go ahead. Trailing ivy in a carefully-planted urn at a restaurant is off limits. An overgrown shrub somewhere probably will not suffer from a discrete nipping or two.
But be aware that you can spread disease by not disinfecting your cutting blades between plants. For one thing, Rose Rosette Disease threatens to destroy the few old rose plants which haven't been killed by scumbags with their filthy herbicides.
I believe one cannot take any plants, flowers, rocks, etc from any national park.
The state parks I know of do not allow taking these things either. I have a friend who still feels guilty about taking rock from a Va national park decades ago before she knew this. (She's afraid to put it back in case someone will see her.)
About five years ago I was driving past an out-of-state van on the side of the road. The occupant was busy snipping all of the ornamental grass in front of one house. About one quarter mile past this van was a local police car on the side of the road - so I stopped and pointed out what was happening. The last I saw of the police car it was speeding off in the direction on the van - I presume that the van owner had to do some explaining.
Today anybody can take your picture or take a picture of your vehicle and license plate. The world is a smaller place and many are watching - including me.
About five years ago I was driving past an out-of-state van on the side of the road. The occupant was busy snipping all of the ornamental grass in front of one house. About one quarter mile past this van was a local police car on the side of the road - so I stopped and pointed out what was happening. The last I saw of the police car it was speeding off in the direction on the van - I presume that the van owner had to do some explaining.
Today anybody can take your picture or take a picture of your vehicle and license plate. The world is a smaller place and many are watching - including me.
Wow. A lot of strong opinions. I would never clip a flower or take anything from a national park.
So, what about stems and leaves that have already fallen off?
Say you're in a botanical garden and there are leaves or a spent stems on the ground? What about leaves/stems on the floor at a big box store like Home depot?
Yikes! My mom is a world class criminal then. She's a world traveler and often takes an interesting leaf right off the plant. Her rule "if it's something that will fall off, like a leaf or a seed, AND you can take it without damaging the plant physically or aestheticly, go ahead." Obviously if there's someone to ask...like it's at a restaurant or business, she asks. But public areas, like traffic medians? No one to ask. And she collected specimens from medians in all sorts of places.
What if everyone took a leaf, or a clipping?
I say, even if it's not legally prohibited ... you don't touch a planted, or manicured plant without permission.
Gotta question. If there aren't any signs posted, is it theft to take clippings or cutting from flowers or plants that are in public places?
For instance, say there are pretty flowers planted in the median of a large street or a nice foliage plant collection in the courtyard of the local city hall? What if a restaurant has large planters outside of their restaurant and they have some nice English ivy trailing out.
Is it stealing to take a little snip? Again, there are no signs posted. Of course, one would never take any clippings from private homes.
Here's how you know it's theft...
Answer these two questions:
1) Is it yours?
2) Were you given permission to take it?
If you cannot answer 'yes' to either of those questions, then the answer is, "it is theft".
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