The Start of a New Season
Many people think that winter still has its icy grip on us. But there are a few signs of spring already in the fields and forests of Vancouver Island. One of them is that the Beaked Hazelnut bushes are in bloom.
Hazelnuts are large shrubs found in the wild lowland areas of Vancouver Island. They were a favourite of the first nations tribes here, as well as throughout the entire range of the species, which includes the maritime provinces Southern Ontario and much of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The nuts, known as filberts, can also be found in grocery stores. They are grown commercially in several areas accross North America, Europe, the middle east and even Australia. In, fact outside the town of Chemainus right here on the island is a farm that specializes in producing them.
Hazelnuts grow as male and female plants. The male shrubs produce catkins in the very early spring before the leaves flush out. The females also produce flowers. But they are extremely inconspicuous. The males, however, are not. They can be readily found by looking for catkins. I have included examples of both flowers and the bush itself in the post.
This separation of male and female plants is uncommon in the plant world. The vast majority (85%) are hermaphrodites, meaning that each flower has male and female parts. Only 6-7 % are dioecious. The third category, monecious, means that the plant has separate male and female flowers on the same plant. this is very common in conifers. Some other well-known examples of dioecious plants are: the Ivies, Aspen and the Cottonwoods, and the Willows. Some other notable ones are Asparagus, and Marijuana.
Want to learn more about natural history on Vancouver Island? Take a tour with Rainbird Excursions
