Witches’ Brooms: Scary For Your Garden or Secret Weapon?

Have you ever heard of witches’ brooms? These strange growths can be seen on certain trees and shrubs and have become associated with Halloween and scary stories.

But what exactly are they and are they something to be afraid of in your garden? As a new garden owner, it’s important to understand the different types of growths and how they can impact your plants.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the world of witches’ brooms, what they are, how they form, and how you can incorporate them as a secret weapon in your garden!

What are Witches’ Brooms?

Witches’ brooms are abnormal, dense growths of foliage that occur on a tree or shrub. They can be caused by a few different things including genetic mutations, pests, viruses, or fungi. These growths get their name from the traditional image of a witch’s broomstick, with the dense bristles resembling the bristles of a broom. While witches’ brooms may sound scary and ominous, they are not necessarily a bad thing for your garden. In fact, some gardeners consider them to be a secret weapon in their gardening arsenal.

Planting Witches’ Broom Plants in Your Gardens

One benefit of witches’ brooms is that they can lead to an increase in blooms and fruit production. Witches’ brooms can cause the growth of lateral buds, which are more likely to produce flowers or fruit. This means that if you notice a witches’ broom on one of your fruit-bearing trees, there’s a good chance you’ll also see an increase in the amount of fruit produced!

Additionally, witches’ brooms can be a great way to propagate certain plants. If you have a particular tree or shrub that you love and want to make more of, you can take cuttings from the witches’ broom and propagate it elsewhere in your garden. In fact, witches’ brooms have been used by gardeners for centuries as a way to create new plants.

Witches’ Broom Plant Varieties

Here are small varieties of Witches’ Broom Plants that you can have in your garden-

1. Abies koreana ‘Kohout’s Ice Breaker’: This low-growing Korean fir originated as a witch’s broom on the popular ‘Horstmann’s Silberlocke’ variety. It features curled needles and stunning coloration, making it easier to maintain in residential landscapes.
2. Picea abies ‘Pusch’: Derived from a witch’s broom found on the fast-growing ‘Acrocona’ spruce, Pusch is a popular variety known for its abundant reddish cones. Its slower-growing, mounding habit makes it a desirable choice for smaller gardens.
3. Pinus parviflora ‘Regenhold’ (‘Ron’s Broom’): Discovered as a witch’s broom by Ron Regenhold on the ‘Glauca’ cultivar, this Japanese white pine has a slow growth rate. It is still relatively uncommon but highly sought-after for its unique characteristics.

So, how can you incorporate witches’ brooms plants into your garden? If you’re interested in propagating a particular tree or shrub, keep an eye out for witches’ brooms and take some cuttings to propagate elsewhere in your garden. Additionally, some gardeners intentionally create witches’ brooms by pruning their plants in a certain way to encourage abnormal growth. This can be a great way to create unique and interesting shapes in your garden!

Conclusion:

Witches’ brooms may have a scary connotation, but they can actually be an asset to your garden. By knowing what they are, how they form, and how you can incorporate them into your gardening, you can turn what may seem like a negative into a positive. Whether you’re looking to increase blooms and fruit production or simply create unique shapes in your garden, witches’ brooms are an interesting and exciting aspect of gardening that shouldn’t be feared. So next time you see a witches’ broom, don’t be afraid, embrace it and watch as your garden flourishes in new and exciting ways!