Witch-Hazel

Last week I spotted already a Common Hazel in full bloom (see picture below), now I noticed the Witch-Hazel is also blooming in full glory at this moment.
It looks like this year all flowering records will be broken easily with a lead of 3 to 4 weeks !

The Witch-Hazel is a large shrub or small deciduous tree, native to China, Japan and north America.
It was introduced into European gardens at the end of the 19th century.

The bright flowers are a wonderful display and very useful for early foraging insects.

The picture shows a cross breeding between a Chinese and Japanese Witch-Hazel.

Dutch name : Toverhazelaar
German name : Zaubernuss
Latin name : Hamamelis x intermedia (H. mollis x H. japonica)[fc-foto:26793646]