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Fruits of the Forest

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Hop hornbeam/ironwood fruits (photo: Deb Perkins).

Hop hornbeam/ironwood fruits (photo: Deb Perkins).

“Do you have these fruits ripening in your woods? Will you take the time to look for them, and to lean in to the lessons they have to teach us?”

In this week's Phenology Note, the focus is on three common (but often overlooked) woody plants that provide important nutrition for wildlife. Do you have these fruits ripening in your woods? Will you take the time to look for them, and to lean in to the lessons they have to teach us?

When we take time to understand the life history strategies of plants we begin to build a relationship and understanding of their place in our wild world. This leads to respect, which leads to stewardship, which deepens our connection to the ecosystems that we are all part of.

When you find these plants on your wooded property (and chances are you will), you can promote and protect them - and then give yourself a gold star for being a Habitat Hero. I’m not kidding. Every native plant makes a difference for wildlife.

Beaked hazelnut on Worthley Brook, Range Pond State Park (photo: Deb Perkins).

Beaked hazelnut on Worthley Brook, Range Pond State Park (photo: Deb Perkins).

Beaked Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta) is pollinated by wind (the gorgeous, yet tiny red flowers appear around the time the spring peepers begin) and bears a nut with a beak-shaped protective covering with stiff hairs that can get lodged in your skin like fiberglass fibers when handled. The highly nutritious nuts are eaten by squirrels, chipmunks, mice, grouse, deer, and more. Indigenous peoples picked fruits in early fall, stored until ripe, and made oil, milk, and more.

Witch hazel fruits; firefly on leaf (photo: Deb Perkins).

Witch hazel fruits; firefly on leaf (photo: Deb Perkins).

Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is a leggy understory shrub of moist forests and floodplains. The fruits we are seeing now are the result of last year's flowers. The greek word "Hamamelis" means "together" and "fruit", as this plant bears both flowers and fruit at the same time. Right now, we are only seeing the young, unripened fruits. In October when the flowers appear these fruits (from last year's flowers) will be nearly ripened. It blooms very late (October) and is pollinated by moths. The small dry fruits (capsules) explode when ripe, catapulting the tiny black seeds up to 30 feet away. Fewer than 1% of the blossoms successfully set fruit! The stems are steam distilled to make the wonderful anti-inflammatory compound we know as "witch hazel water". It was first commercially processed in the mid-1800s but Native Americans were using it long before then. The woody stems are browsed by deer and beaver; small mammals consume the seeds; birds eat the fruits.

The fruits of American hop hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana; top photo) resemble true hops that are used for making beer. This small tree is also known as "ironwood" because the wood is so dense, heavy, and hard to saw. Although slow-growing, hop hornbeam can live for 70 years or more and is a great landscape choice for planting in a deep shade area. It has a shapely oval form and is very low maintenance.

I hope you enjoyed this Phenology Note!

Join me in witnessing the seasons of our wild world.

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#ThePersonalEcologistI partner with eco-minded landowners to create thriving wildlife habitats in their backyards, gardens, fields and farms, woods or campuses - at any scale.I have 25 years of experience in my field, and a lifelong commitment to wi…

#ThePersonalEcologist

I co-create biodiverse habitats with eco-minded stewards throughout the Northeast - at any scale.

I have 30 years of experience and a lifelong commitment to wildlife conservation.

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Deborah Perkins