I look forward to it every February. Bright yellow blossoms and a wonderful fragrance in the air. It's Arnold Promise, a witch hazel that fills the air with a wonderful scent. This year Arnold was a bit late in blooming, perhaps because of the lower temperatures, but now it is is full bloom.
Arnold Promise is a hybrid (Hamamelis x intermedia) witch hazel that has many things going for it. It has wonderful leaves in summer and fall and it blossoms in the dead of winter, its showy yellow blossoms sending a lovely fragrance in the air. It gives me the promise of spring every year.
One more important aspect of Arnold Promise is that the deer do not care for the taste of the shoots, leaves, or blossoms. That is a real benefit around here as the deer have made a path from our creek up the property to the road. Arnold Promise is very disease resistant as well.
It is often overlooked in the garden shops because the blooms have fallen and the plant has not leafed out by the time most nurseries open for the summer. So it looks very bare and sparse.
Few things are as pleasing as the sight of the Arnold Promise bright yellow blossoms and the scent of the wonderful witch hazel. It is indeed a breath of fresh air.
14 comments:
I love learning about native plants. I will have to look this plant up--I wonder if it grown further north, as in Pennsylvania.
We have only an occasional small group of deer in our yard, but I have lost hostas to their munching.
Hi, I haven't heard of this plant before, but use Witch Hazel alot. Thanks for this info-I may have to see if we can grown it here.
Have a great week.
Hugs, Noreen
You have sold me. I have a bare spot and I was thinking about the witch hazel but now I am convinced. Thanks.
Wonder how rabbits feel about, my daughter is overrun and planning a garden. Not sure how that is going to work out.
Most interesting......
How beautiful...and practical too. Getting along with the critters in the environment can sometimes be a challenge. I miss bird feeders here where bears are attracted to them. I've never seen an Arnold...thanks for sharing it.
Interesting and beautiful; enjoy!
Ah, spring is in the air. I love when there is fragrance everywhere. Enjoy the yellow beauty!
Pretty! We have jonquils, camellias, and Lenten roses blooming right now. Pretty, but no showstoppers. There is a gorgeous yellow tree a couple of blocks away. I thought perhaps it was forsythia, but it might have been witch hazel. I should try for a closeup.
This is a shrub I have always wanted, in one colourway or another, but I still haven't indulged - mainly as we have been trying to move for several years now (downsizing). This will be the first thing I buy from the garden centre once we're transplanted - yours looks so lovely with the spring sunshine on it.
Those are incredible photos of Arnold! That is truly a miraculous plant to bloom at this time of year. I'd worship it, if I had it in my yard.
I kind of expected you to write about our 47 treasonous Senators! But this topic was much more pleasant.
I was eyeing a witch hazel yesterday at a local nursery but it was quite pricey -- will have to have another look. I didn't notice if it was named Arnold.
Thanks for your comments, everyone.
Mary Lee - The daffodils are blooming downtown, but not here on the mountain. They will be soon.
Vicki - I'll take a look to see if there are any root suckers that can be pulled intact. Since you are so successful with potting forsythia, you might be able to do the same with witch hazel. I'll let you know what I find out.
KB - I decided to wait until Friday when there are more readers. And I might have calmed down a bit by then.
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