1) About that "hairy ball" plant (pict 2) I had answered in https://www.gotoknow.org/posts/600501

Gomphocarpus physocarpus
Gomphocarpus physocarpus, commonly known as balloonplant, balloon cotton-bush, bishop's balls or swan plant, is a species of milkweed. The plant is native to southeast Africa, but it has been widely naturalized. [Wikipedia]... Gomphocarpus physocarpus is a food of the caterpillars of Danaus butterflies, including the Monarch butterfly. This plant is also popular in traditional medicine to cure various ailments.

Warning: A hairy ball contains hundreds seeds. Each can grow just about anywhere ;-)

2) Trees are life! But to some living trees are life and to other dead trees are their life. The world is full legends of "hanging gardens (of Babylon)" --gardens high above the flat ground terrains-- a major achievement over gravity, 'commonality'/ordinary deed, and fear of attacks from lowlies (worse is not the lowest of the lowlies but 'women' in some beliefs ;-)

We strive to be civilized and in doing so have culturalized 'flat land' clear of all tees but only grassland and some flowers --like pictures of European farmlands. Little that we realize that Europe became bare because of (metal) smelting development --bronze age and iron age--. Trees were cut down for smelting then for warming houses and people.

In tropical Asia, trees are cut down to sell to Europe and China and to start agri-businesses. Forests and trees that had kept pleasant climates and seasons for generations cannot regrow fast enough. And (rich) people are heading up the mountains to build their 'gardens of Babylon' again. Leaving us --the lowlies...

;-)