Written / Photography by Helen Lin
Witch hazel is one of the more primitive species of the witch hazel family. According to the Flora of China, witch hazel is distributed in the provinces of the Yangtze River basin on the mainland and is an endemic tree species in the mainland.
Witch hazel is occasionally found in the high mountains of Ningbo, and I have never seen witch hazel grow in the mountains below 600 meters above sea level, which is a deciduous tree species that prefers cold, but it is not found in the northern part of the mainland, and they only prefer the mountainous environment in the south. Witch hazel blooms from January to February, and the flowers are often completely withered by mid-March.
The peaks on the high mountain of Siming Mountain are long, and there are countless treasures hidden in them
Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year (February 10th), the sun is particularly shining, and I specially drove to the high mountains of Longguan Township to observe the flowering status of witch hazel. Because some witch hazel has already bloomed at this time in previous years, it can be seen that its flowering period is particularly early.
This year's situation is a few days later than usual, and it may not be because this winter is not a warm winter. I saw that only a few plants had just opened flowers, the curly petals were not yet fully opened, and most were still in the bud stage. Witch hazel blooms when all the flowers on the same tree bloom at the same time, so it looks spectacular when it opens.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the sun is shining, and there is a desolate scene on the high mountains of Longguan Township
The snow on the high mountains is still cold
The forest on the shady slope of the high mountain is covered with snow
Ice cubes can be seen everywhere on the shady slopes of the high mountains
Ice cubes can be seen everywhere on the shady slopes of the high mountains
Ice cubes can be seen everywhere on the shady slopes of the high mountains
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the witch hazel on the high mountains of Longguan Township has just ushered in the first flowering period
The golden hazel with flowers and branches brings a touch of spring to the desolate mountains
The golden hazel with flowers and branches brings a touch of spring to the desolate mountains
Close-up of golden plum blossoms, golden petals look brilliant in the sun
Close-up of golden wisps of plum blossoms, curled petals slowly unfolding
Close-up of golden wisps of plum blossoms, curled petals slowly unfolding
Although this season has passed the beginning of the spring term, the spring air of the earth has moved, but in the Baibugang high mountain at an altitude of 700 meters, it is still a piece of ice and snow, ice and snow can be seen everywhere on the shady slope, and most plants are still in deep hibernation. Witch hazel is proud of the frost and snow to bloom first, playing a loud spring overture in the mountains and fields, they are the earliest primroses on Siming Mountain.
Witch hazel seems to be a prescient tree, and it's no wonder that it survived the dinosaurs, perhaps because it was trained during the long glacial period that gave it such a tough and tenacious cold-resistant characteristic.
From the point of view of the flowering period of witch hazel, it blooms at the same time as the spring plum, and in terms of floral aroma, both of them belong to the aromatic type of flowers, and from the perspective of deciduous characteristics, they are both deciduous tree species, so the name of witch hazel has the word "plum". As for the word "golden wisp", it is more intuitive, the four golden petals of each flower are ribbon-shaped, and the wisps of petals shine brightly when they bloom.
The golden plum blossoms in full bloom are exquisitely chic
Golden wisp buds about to bloom
Close-up of golden hazel plum branches, last year's capsules are still hanging on the branches, and the flowering branches only grow a short section each year
When witch hazel blooms, there is still residual snow on the ground
When flowering, the dead leaves of witch hazel remain on the branches
The first time I saw witch hazel flowers was on February 12, 2017, when a large amount of ice appeared on Mozhu Peak in Ninghai Chashan, and I found many flowering witch hazel trees on the shady slope. I was amazed by the sheer bloom of witch hazel at the coldest time of the year. The video news of "Zhejiang Ninghai found witch hazel and lived with dinosaurs" was reprinted and broadcast by "CCTV".
Usually people don't go to the mountains to observe the plants at this time, so if you want to meet witch hazel flowering, you have to go to the appointment to make a special appointment. The witch hazel on the top of Chashan Mountain is a small tree in the primary forest, while the witch hazel on the top of Longguan Township is mostly a clump of shrubs, which may have been caused by artificial felling in the past.
At present, the witch hazel on the high mountains of Longguan Township has just entered the first flowering stage, and most of them grow in the deciduous forests on shady slopes near the top of the mountain. Accompanying plants include Rhododendron yunjin, the bud buds of Yunjin rhododendron are obviously enlarged at this time, but its flowering period will be around May Day every year.
As I walked through the forest, I suddenly noticed a clump of young daylily seedlings emerging from the snowdrift, it seems that not only witch hazel is not afraid of the cold and ice, but also daylily is undoubtedly the first root herb to sense the arrival of spring. Along with daylilies are geranium and trifolium, which show no signs of frostbite.
Like witch hazel, the first to welcome the arrival of spring is the daylily, which is not afraid of the cold
Like witch hazel, the first to welcome the arrival of spring is the daylily, which is not afraid of the cold
The trifolium has grown young leaves very early, and it is also a type that blooms in early spring
The young seedlings of geranium grow on the snow, and they are also not afraid of freezing
The raspberry sprouts are already plump and ready to bloom
It is an evergreen shrub with buds ready
Yamaki-dori is a semi-evergreen vine
The leaves of alum turn yellow after drying up, which is one of the good distinguishing characteristics of alum
The calamus of the potato is very recognizable when it hangs on the branches
The capsule that pierces the dragon potato hangs from the branches, and its fruit is facing upwards
The small blonde moss in the high mountains grows very luxuriantly, and they are evergreen mosses that are not afraid of the cold of snow and ice
The clematis fern first appeared in Ningbo, and it is an indicator plant of calcareous soil, but unfortunately it has dried up
At this time, the artificially planted palace pink plum blossom is in full bloom, and it is a representative plant among primroses
At this time, the artificially planted palace pink plum blossom is in full bloom, and it is a representative plant among primroses
At this time, the artificially planted palace pink plum blossom is in full bloom, and it is a representative plant among primroses
At this time, the artificially planted light-colored red plum blossoms bloom just right
Chunjiang plumbing duck prophet, the spring of Ningbo has kicked off
Chunjiang plumbing duck prophet, the spring of Ningbo has kicked off
In a rock crevice I saw a small clump of dead ferns, which turned out to be clematis ferns, a species I had never seen in Ningbo, and this species was an indicator plant of calcareous soil.
The flowers of witch hazel sounded the horn of this spring, and then the spring flowers in Ningbo will be restarted, there are countless wild flowers that make people happy on Siming Mountain, most of them bloom in spring, we will wait and see this beautiful season.
February 10, 2024
About author:Lin Hailun, chief Chinese pharmacist of Ningbo Institute for Drug Control, has been paying attention to the research of native animal and plant resources in Ningbo for more than 30 years, has discovered a large number of rare species, and has been committed to science popularization for a long time