After months of cold weather, my dog Kane and I were finally able to spend a few hours walking in the woods around our farm, soaking up the spring aromas and looking for deer antler drops, erosion on our roads and winter blow-downs. Around this time, nearly 20 springs ago, while walking through the same large patches of snow and mud, I could not believe my eyes when I spotted a lilac-type plant in full bloom with beautiful pink-red flowers, tidy blue-green leaves and a wonderful smell. I thought it was too early for anything to bud!
I raced out of the woods and begged my wife Sue to come and see this miracle. Not a woodsy person, she finally conceded to my excitement and followed me back into the forest. She too was overjoyed to see such a distinct plant.
Here, I started my quest to uncover the type and nature of this early-spring, late-winter flowerer. One answer came from Mrs. Bador, who at the time was around 80 years old; she looked at me in near disgust and said, “Everyone knows that is a May Bush.” When I tried to find out more information, nothing seemed to match my mystery plant and the trail ended.
I walked around the forests and fields on my farm and tied survey flags to trees near the plants so I could readily find them and study their condition. I remember that during a particularly cold winter with no snow many of them died, but the next spring they were back in full force, seeming to have a long-term resilience to temperatures deep into the negatives.
Then, quite by accident, I stumbled over the answer; I backed up in a crowded greenhouse and tripped on some pots. When I recovered my balance, I hollered: “It’s a May Bush!”
February Daphne
The owner politely corrected me and said the plant was a February Daphne. She wrote the name down and I was off and running!
The February Daphne sets a standard for flower fragrance, with a rich orange-blossom scent. It blooms with pink clusters before most plants have leafed out and produces alluring red berries while its neighbors are still in flower. This unique timing, which gives rise to its common name, is also great for bees, providing nectar very early in the year.
All parts of the February Daphne are extremely toxic and eating a dozen or so berries (horrible taste) could cause death. I followed the old adage of “never eat a berry until you know what it is,” but considerations about having this plant in your garden or as an ornamental hedge where pets and children might gain access should be judged.
It is with some sadness that I finally discovered this beautiful plant’s true nature. I seldom flag them anymore but learning about the February Daphne was a wonderful woods experience for me.