#winter flowers

[moer-koffie]

2023.05.26 Africa Red-eyed Bulbul munching a kapok tree’s flower

[drzewobojczyni]

For a long time, I've been fascinated with winter-blooming plants, so when I saw this challenge on DA, I immediately knew what to draw!

Pictured: winter jasmine (yellow), fragrant viburnum (pink), garden pansy (red), witch hazel (orange), and black hellebore (white, ironically)

DeviantArt

[flowerishness]

Helleborus (hellebore, Christmas rose)

It's fast approaching the end of hellebore season and, as the common name Christmas rose implies, this is another cheerful winter-blooming flower. The hellebores have had a tough time in Vancouver this year. After a very mild winter, on January 12 the temperature suddenly fell to - 14.4 C (6 F) followed by more than 30 cm (1 ft) of snow. All the snow melted and three days later it was gone but the damage was already done.

Believe me, the local plants did not enjoy this 'extreme weather event'. We have brown foliage and heavy leaf drops all over town. Laurels and rhododendrons have been particularly hard hit and provincial grape vines will produce no fruit this year. Considering all this bad news the hellebores have done surprisingly well. Not to worry, time marches on and spring is well under way. Next stop, daffodil season. I can hardly wait!

[los-plantalones]

helleborus x ballardiae ‘camelot’

[monilucy-marymaus]

[maureen2musings]

photographykaisa

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Wednesday 6 March 2024

A winter flowering plant Iris lazica is closely related to Iris unguicularis but has deeper blue flowers and glossy green leaves. Iris lazica thrives in part shade, does well in heavier soils and flowers from December to March.

Jill Raggett

[wiley-treehouse-gardens]

[nevernoneart]

So here it is…the third picture in my knitwear series. I had abandoned it, but playing around with textures on the “Coat” series made gave me the confidence to have another crack at it and finally finish it. I’ve never drawn an older lady in my life, so this was a real challenge in more ways than one, but I learnt a lot from it.

[oldfarmhouse]

𝗁𝗍𝗍𝗉s://instagram.com/tiffanymitchell

[oliviarosaline]

Ozark Witch-Hazel

Hamamelis vernalis

This species of witch-hazel requires a winter freeze to bloom and is endemic to the Ozarks in Missouri, Arkansas, and parts of eastern Oklahoma.

Feb. 6th, 2023

Augusta, St. Charles County, Missouri, USA

Olivia R. Myers

@oliviarosaline

[flowerishness]

Hamamelis vernalis (Ozark witch-hazel)

The 'witch' in witch-hazel has nothing to do with black cats and broomsticks. It's actually derived from the Olde English word wice, meaning "pliant" or "bendable", a reference to its twigs and branches. At this time of year, it's pleasure to see anything in bloom but this magnificent specimen is really putting on a show.

There are five species of witch-hazel, one from China, one from Japan and three from North America. This particular species, Hamamelis vernalis, is native to the Ozark Mountains (Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas). It's quite tall for a witch-hazel, maybe 15 feet, and it blooms in late winter, just before it 'leafs-out'. It has strongly scented flowers and hybrids are available in pink, bronze and red but I think I like it in the original yellow the best.

[los-plantalones]

Def not thrilled to see them this early, but was still heartened because… spring comin’.

[shoujo-dump]

Winter Flowers

[natureisthegreatestartist]

I found a little branch on the sidewalk, plopped it in a vase with a few of my daffs and look what happened. It bloomed!

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Thursday 15 February 2024

The hardy, clump-forming perennial, Helleborus orientalis (Lenten rose) flowers in early spring. This plant has leathery, dark green leaves divided into leaflets and here the old foliage has been removed so the flowers can be clearly seen. After flowering the new foliage will emerge. The flowers can be variable in colour with shades of greenish-white to pink or purple and the flowers are often spotted.

Jill Raggett