365 Urban Species. #038: Witch Hazel.

[urbpan]

Urban species #038: Witch hazel Hammemelis x intermedia

There are very few flowers to see in February in New England. Fortunately, clever arborists and landscapers have provided us with this hybrid of Chinese and Japanese witch hazel shrubs. These bright yellow flowers are on a cultivar named "Arnold's Promise," introduced by Boston's own Arnold Arboretum. Several other varieties are cultivated for different flower colors and other attributes.

The native North American witch hazel H. virginiana blooms in late October into November. It's slow growth and love of rich, undisturbed soils make it a rare urban plant. (Another, more rare witch hazel H. verdana blooms in early spring, but is confined to the high pH soils in places like the Ozarks.)

Asian witch hazels are pollinated by the winter moth Operophtera brumata, an insect that has become a conspicuous (and invasive) urban species in its own right. American witch hazels are pollinated by those insects that are still active in mid-autumn: midges, and possibly some bees and beetles.

Extract of witch hazel is one of very few herbal remedies that persists as a mainstream over the counter product.














These next ones are by cottonmanifesto, a couple weeks ago:

Comments

[brush-rat.livejournal.com]

I remember mom gathering it for some medicinal purpose, but I can't recall what now.

[phlogiston-5.livejournal.com]

I wonder if Bruce spanworm, which is in the same genus as Winter Moth, plays a role in pollinating the American witch hazel. I know it becomes active in the winter around the same time that the Winter Moth does (at least in the MA outbreak).

[http://users.livejournal.com/purplebunnie_/]

I love witchazel, but it's not local to N.Ca. I've never seen the plant... now I've learned something new!

And I need a basket and some pruning scissors.

[maybethecat.livejournal.com]

how does it fair so well in the winter months?

[momomom.livejournal.com]

This isn't really an answer, or at least just a partial one but the flowers roll up when it's past a certain point in coldness and unfurl when it warms again. They last a really long time (left outdoors).

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

I think the risk of flowering in the late fall or early spring is balanced by the advantage of not having to compete with other flowers for the few active pollinators.

They don't have leaves at the time that they have flowers, so they are conserving some energy that way.

[fairy.livejournal.com]

Wow, this was fascinating. I didn't realize what a pretty bloom it had too.

[momomom.livejournal.com]

Off topic but this is a neat article about winter bees
http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek060122.html

[maybethecat.livejournal.com]

wow, another fact i did not know

[momomom.livejournal.com]

Gosh those are so pretty! Mine isn't blooming yet ... I'm not sure of the cultivar.

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

I can't see the words Hammemelis x intermedia without hearing it in that guy's voice! :)

[(Anonymous)]

Lovely pictures! Witch hazel is one of my favorite plants. If anyone is interested in its uses, I have some info at my website: http://www.nyctophilia.net/plants/witchhazel.html

moonwatcher