Mezereon (Daphne mezereum)

[ENG] Mezereon (Daphne mezereum)

Spread: Mezereon originates from Central- and East-Europe, as well as Western Asia. Birds spread the seeds through eating the berries. Mezereon has been brought to, and cultivated, in many other parts of the world, as the plant can adapt when introduced favourable conditions.

Description: Mezereon, commonly called February Daphne because of its late winter flowers, is extremely poisonous to humans. Its berries are shiny red or sometimes yellow depending on the type. Mezereon has over 50 different species spread across Europe, Asia and North Africa.

General: The mezereon bush is a small deciduous shrub that prefers native woodlands and forests, as well as shrubby areas with moist underlay or even swamps. Its fragrant reddish-purple to pink flowers bloom in stalkless clusters in late March to early April prior to the emergence of leaves in the trees. The berries tend to emerge around June.

In the pictures:

A - Blooming mezereon (picture: Tom Ahlström)

B - Blooming mezereon (picture: Tom Ahlström)

C - Blooming mezereon (picture: Tom Ahlström)