I know this won't mean much to our more southern friends, but here in the north, after a long winter, the Hamamelis (witch hazel) blooming is the first visible sign of plant life out there in the snow, and it is a big deal. Mine has started blooming. I don't know the species--if anyone can identify it, please let me know.
Aren't they a welcome sight this time of the year?! I love mine, too. It is probably the common Spring Witchhazel, or Vernal Witchhazel, Hamamelis vernalis which is the second hardiest witchhazel after H. virginiana which blooms in the fall and early winter. It's hard to find the more colorful cultivars, which can be expensive.
Do they have the aroma that the Va. has down south. So sweet, but haven't seen the yellow, what I'm use to is dark burgandy. Mike
The yellow is the most common... species... either fall or spring species. All the others are cultivars, unfortunately not as hardy up north. But the yellow ones do have a nice fragrance.
Too funny! I never realized it had an odor, never stuck my nose up to it. I must go out and take a sniff!
Spring finally arrived here as well. Right on time.
Here's one of my witch hazels. It's an x intermedia cultivar, but I'm not sure which one.
Suspect Arnold Promise.
This is prunus mume Peggy Clarke (japanese apricot).
It is usually my first blooming tree. Usually blooms Feb even here in St Louis.
Once it bloomed on New Years Day!
But it's always a big risk as it commonly gets nipped by hard freeze.
It's late this year.
Turned out mine does not smell. I finally found the label. It is Hamamelis mollis Pallida
granitegneiss: It's unusual that your (Chinese) witchhazel does not have the sweet fragrance that it's reputed to have! I find that my two (other varieties) have the best fragrance on warmer, sunny days. Check it out then.
My witchhazel has no smell either.
Cherry blossoms in full swing. With no rain predicted for a while, there should be a good crop this year. I can't say the same for the nectarine tree - during the week that it was blooming, it rained half the time.
