Day 135: The bloomin' filbert is in bloom! Harry Lauder (Contorted Filbert, Corylus avellana "Contorta") has put forth a profusion of blossoms, and you'd never know it even if you were standing only three feet away unless you knew exactly what to look for. But if you do know and peer closely, you'll be rewarded with the sight of tiny hot-pink stars. These are the female flowers of this monoecious species. The drooping catkins are the males. Once fertilized, non-edible filberts (nuts) will form inside the ovaries. Ttuly, this seems like a good example of overkill. When the catkins begin shedding pollen, it comes off the tree in clouds! A couple of years ago, I caged a few of the clusters to see if nut meats would develop inside. Usually, they're consumed by the birds and squirrels before they ripen. The few I protected did in fact form nuts somewhat smaller than a lightly flattened pea, but they are not fit for human consumption.
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