Witch hazel

Witch hazel lovers will know to expect witch hazels' strange and beautiful blooms in late winter, even if there is snow. I was very surprised to find trees in bloom in the Catskills this last weekend. October? But this is common witch hazel, the native Hamamelis virginiana. Now apparently the Greek hamamelis means 'at the same time as the apple', and certainly we were falling over apples at all the orchards on the way.

Most witch hazel cultivars sold by nurseries bloom in February and later...

Anyway, a felicitous discovery, which coincided with the swarming of ladybirds.