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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Witch hazel

Witch hazel has a most unfortunate name. Brings to mind Hazel the TV maid and nastiness. But Hamamelis vernalis, a native witch hazel, deserves no such association. I saw this one in a hoop house at Morris Arboretum today. But it was the one I saw from afar, as I walked down the hill toward the arboretum's Fernery (another treat on a winter's day), that made me stop. This shrub's fragrance was so strong, we smelled it from at least 100 yards away. It was light and sweet, so unlike the day, which was dark and freezing, despite a not-so-bad temperature of 43 degrees. Visitors from out West always tell me that the cold in Philadelphia is much colder, probably because of the dampness. It certainly felt that way today. But witch hazel brightens and softens the winter with its spidery blossoms and delicious fragrance. And how about that yellow? Yellow in winter is unexpected, a real tease. And how smart is this guy. The flowers open up on warm, sunny days then - like the people they please - roll up, pull back, when the temperatures drop. It's a survival mechanism, a way to keep from freezing.
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About Virginia A. Smith
Ginny Smith, a Philadelphia native, worked as a reporter at newspapers in New York, Connecticut and Ohio – with six short months at the end of the Bulletin tossed in – before returning to Philadelphia in 1985 to join the Inquirer. Her favorite beats here have included Center City, roving around Pennsylvania (and getting paid for it!) and alternative medicine. She’s also been City Editor and Pennsylvania Editor. Ginny has been happily writing – and learning - about gardening fulltime since 2006. She’s won two silver medals of achievement from the national Garden Writers Association and in 2011, Bartram’s Garden honored her with its Green Exemplar award for her stories about “the region’s deeply rooted horticultural history, cultural attractions and bountiful gardens.”
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