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

[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