a Witches Broom?
Hexenbesen is a German word meaning, “to bewitch (hex) a bundle of twigs (besom).” In medieval times, brooms were made from a bundle of twigs. The horticultural term “witches’-broom” is used to describe a dense mass of twiggy branches growing on a branch of an older tree, resulting from a naturally occurring mutation or genetic abnormality. Caused by fungi and phytoplasms, genetic mutation, or environmental factors, witches’-brooms appear with frequency on certain species. They are often found clustered in specific areas, many times on trees of different genera. Because of their deformed, unnatural appearance, these growths were often associated with witchcraft.
Witches’ brooms occur frequently in certain species. In the case of hackberries, witches’- brooms are unsightly and unwanted, but not fatal. Those occurring on Picea and Pinus are very much sought after for use in propagating valuable dwarf conifers. All of the truly dwarf conifers, as opposed to those that are just very slow growing, could be called freaks of nature, since they are all mutants of a kind. Witches’ brooms have led to the development of new varieties with unique characteristics. Plant enthusiasts have taken cuttings from witches’ brooms and propagated them. Like the “mother” broom, these dwarf plants grow very slowly and have a compact form.