Ron La Fleur – Ron is Twinkles (Goddess of the Shimmering Snow) Cousin. Carefree in personality but not in Nature (the ecosystem.) He is all about fun in the sun and the brightness of yellow. His cause is Climate Change.
In case you are not aware of another very spectacular cousin Ron wants to introduce you to Chinese Witch Hazel – Hamamelis mollis. Remember that most of the Botanical Beauties and Beasties start with a floral part. So Witch Hazel is yet another branch (ha ha, could not resist) of the family!
These fun plants add a splash of color when you often really need it, i.e in the WINTER! We here in MA., have had a very mild winter season and barely any snow. As a matter of fact we have had odd, admissible delightful, spring temps in Feb. This week that has changed – it is actually SNOWING FOR REAL! Unfortunately the warm temps have made many of my spring bulbs beginning to pop out of the grown, but those tips and the snow made me think of Witch Hazel, no real connection other than bulbs are early spring delight and the Chinese Witch Hazel is winter delight! It is technically still winter, so Ron wants to share some fun things about this plant with you.
- Flowers are fragrant and may be shades of yellow, red and orange
- Witch hazels do best in a spot that gets full sun or part shade and moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter.
- Zones: 3-9
- Size: – cane up to 12′ tall and wide
- Why it;s fun: It blooms in the winter! It’s flowers are incongruously fragile-looking blooms in the harsh bold winter. Its flowers, profuse along bare stems, have narrow yellow petals up to an inch-and-a-half long, surrounding red centers, and are scented! If you use your design skills and plan your Witch Hazel against a dark backdrop then WOW a big visual POP and a breath of flower sunshine when you least expect it. Awhhhhh, how can you not like that!?
Have a great weekend – we will be back on Tuesday. In the meantime, don’t forget you can find some great information, drawings and/or links to wonderful things on our Facebook pages and our Twitter feeds M – F with The Botanical Beauties & Beasties and Birdelini.
https://www.facebook.com/BotanicalBeautiesBeasties
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Birdelini/240980389318537