Witch hazels need good drainage. Name – Hamamelis Family – Hamamelidaceae Type – shrub. Witch-hazel is a multi-stemmed shrub that can grow to a height of about 16 feet (5 meters), and can tolerate shade. A witch hazel tree does well in full sun or partial shade and sometimes grows wild as an understory tree in areas with rich, moist soil such as bogs. It has yellow blooms with red centers that appear in winter to early spring. Hamamelis virginiana (common witch hazel) is a 15- to 20-foot-tall shrub that flowers with yellow blooms from October to December. They can grow quite tall though mine are only babies at this stage and will grow in sun or semi shade. The Insomniac Gardener. Shipping Information. Prized for its profusion of sweetly fragrant flowers and its lovely fall colors, Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diane' (Witch Hazel) is a very eye-catching winter-flowering shrub. It is native in the Eastern half of the United States, and Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in Canada. Special Features. In summer, its aromatic, irregularly shaped green leaves are a minor attraction. Witch hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, native to North America, is a shrub found all along the east coast, from Florida all the way up to Nova Scotia. Height – 6 ½ to 16 feet (2 to 5 meters) Exposure – full sun, part sun Soil – rather rich. Pruning and caring are practices that will enhance blooming and growth. Persian Witch Hazel will withstand dry conditions and exposure to wind once established. Once your soil is … Cuttings are therefore unlikely to match the parent plant. Also known as Ozark witch hazel, this unique native shrub flowers from late winter into early spring, when little else is blooming in the landscape. The bark, leaves, and twigs of the witch hazel tree contain the plant’s medicinal properties. Usually they are not troubled by pests or diseases. Choose a spot in full sun or partial shade and make sure the soil is well-drained. Watering: Let your soil dry to the touch down to about 2 inches in between waterings. The yellow, strap-like flowers of this native shrub are among the last blooms to appear in fall, but are often hidden by the leaves. Hamamelis mollis 'Goldcrest' (Witch Hazel) is a medium to large deciduous shrub with sweetly fragrant, golden yellow flowers in mid to late winter. May also be known as “Witch hazel”. Witch hazels tolerate a range of light levels, from full sun to heavy shade. Witch-hazel is a large somewhat suckering shrub that can even grow into a small tree over time. It is an easy plant to espalier or grow flat against a wall or house. Witch Hazel 'Diane', Chinese Witch Hazel 'Diane', Hamamelis x intermedia 'New Red' Previous Next. 2. The Witch Hazel likes acidic soil but grows in clay soil, as long as it's moist but well-draining. See More. Other Names: American witch-hazel, common witch-hazel, witch hazel. January 7 at 10:00 PM . The tree’s thin tan bark can be peeled back to expose a red-purple shade inside. Common witch hazel is known for its use as an astringent in cosmetics. Witch hazel is a plant. Hardiness Zone : 3,4,5,6,7,8. Description: Witch-hazel is a small deciduous tree or shrub best known for its late fall flowers and many medicinal uses. In the vernacular, common witch hazel is sometimes known as snapping hazel because when the seed pods ripen, the explosive discharge can send seeds flying up to 30 feet away. In the dead of winter when there is little life in the garden, the delicate ribbon-like flowers of witch hazel (Hamamelis) cheer up even the dreariest days. Common witch-hazel is a large shrub with a picturesque irregular branching habit that naturally grows along woodland edges. The native common witch hazel is an understory plant that becomes leggy if it has to reach for light, but in the open, it develops into a graceful, spreading shrub about 20 feet tall. Plant March-November. Grown from seed, it will reach a mature flowering size in six years. Hamamelis vernalis (Ozark witch hazel) is a 6- to 10-foot shrub hardy in zones 4 to 8. Special Usage. They are forest understory plants, small enough for suburban properties but possibly requiring shade from the summer sun unless one can guarantee against drought. The native Witch Hazel is uniquely adapted to colonizing steep rocky slopes, where little else can find a footing, and it has done so on our slopes with abandon. Generally, the Witch Hazel prefers well-drained soil and full to partial sun (4 to 6 hours of sunlight). Foliage – deciduous Flowering – January to March. Jelena Witch Hazel grows as a large shrub with a spreading habit and thrives in the shade. Varieties of Witch Hazel. You may see a product called witch hazel water (Hamamelis water, distilled witch hazel extract). Moist soil is preferred although average to moderate moisture will suffice. The graceful vase-shaped structure is just a bonus, with some varieties having additional attributes of fall color or fragrance. The abundance of pale yellow fall flowers that accompanies the foliage comes as a wonderful late-season surprise. Once your soil is … Leaves are simple and alternate, about 6” long, and dark green. Witch Hazels develop nice green leaves where the crinkles of the veins look as though someone folded them perfectly across an axis. A large shrub to small tree, Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is a stunning plant that flowers in Autumn and into Winter. Witch-hazel is a dazzling shrub that blooms in winter, as early as January.. Witch-hazel facts, a summary. These large deciduous shrubs bloom on bare stems in late winter. Not only is it a great medicinal plant, but it’s a beautiful addition to any winter garden. Witch hazel propagation can be difficult, and some horticultural expertise and experience is required. In the wild, it prefers moist situations. Hamamelis virginiana, known as common witch hazel, is a fall-blooming, deciduous shrub or small tree that is native to woodlands, forest margins and stream banks in eastern North America. It is hardy in zones 3 to 8. “Witch hazel is an astringent produced from the leaves and bark of the North American Witch-hazel shrub (Hamamelis virginiana)…” “Native Americans produced witch hazel extract by boiling the stems of the shrub and condensing the steam to produce a distillate. Prefers full sun to part shade and will tolerate most soil types. The leaf, bark, and twigs are used to make medicine. Full sun to part shade. A lovely shrub for the winter garden it also has lovely leaf colour in autumn. WITCH HAZEL Bare Rooted. Witch hazel cuttings are not easy to root or keep alive. Watering: Let your soil dry to the touch down to about 2 inches in between waterings. It easily reaches 11 feet (3.5 m) in height and diameter and sometimes up to 20 feet (6 m). It typically grows 15-20’ tall with a similar spread in cultivation, but can reach 30’ tall in its native habitat. Basic Description. Landscape Uses . Commercially produced witch hazel cultivars are generally grafted or budded onto Hamamelis virginiana rootstocks. They have wavy, sometimes toothed margins, and are elliptical in shape. Its branches with smooth gray bark are fairly open and grow in a zigzag pattern, which makes for a lovely winter appeal. How to grow: Witch hazel does best in full sun to light shade and adapts to most soils. WITCH HAZEL. Wisconsin Native: Yes USDA Hardiness Zone: to zone 3 Mature Height: 12-20ft Mature Spread: 12-15ft Growth Rate : Moderate Growth Form: Large shrub, irregular, round and upright branching Light Requirements: Full Sun to Full Shade Site Requirements: Performs best in moist sites, tolerant of wet soils, shade and poor soils. The Witch Hazel likes acidic soil but grows in clay soil, as long as it's moist but well-draining. Our perennials are grown in a 4” quart-sized pot. Shade Tolerant: Partial. Doing well in woodland conditions of high shade, you can also site Witch Hazels in sun and they will thrive. At Direct Native Plants, we take many precautions to make sure your plants will arrive in the best condition possible. Hardy to -13 degrees Fahrenheit. Each flower consists of 4 golden ribbon-like, crinkled, strap-shaped petals, delicately tinged with claret-red at their bases. Uses: Common witch hazel is used as an ornamental woodland tree or as the back of a shrub border. This interesting shrub blooms in the fall and some species bloom in the winter. Autumn may really be the beginning of the season for Hamamelis however, because their leaves turn brilliant shades of yellow, orange, red or purple before falling to reveal their unique architectural structure. The beautifully fragrant flowers resemble yellow spiders on the branches as the petals are long and spindly, and this variety is the plant with the wonderful medicinal qualities that are so valued throughout the cosmetics and skin lotions world. Witch hazel grows very slowly, only 4 to 12 inches each year. When adding shrubs to your landscape, try to use native plants such as the witch hazel. A native of eastern North America, from Nova Scotia to the Carolinas and westward to Nebraska and Illinois, Virginia witch-hazel forms a large shrub or small, low-branched tree, up to 20 high and at least as wide. They used the distillate to treat sore muscles, cuts, insect bites, and other inflammations and tumors. Generally, the Witch Hazel prefers well-drained soil and full to partial sun (4 to 6 hours of sunlight). It is an important ingredient of proprietary eye drops, skin creams, ointments and skin tonics[238]. Variety of Hazels at the nursery Hamamelis ‘Diane’ ‘Diane’ is a red-flowered form with spreading branches. Until the last storm it shared the space with oaks, birches and beech trees, but several of those much taller trees fell, and now the slope is almost completely dominated by Witch Hazel. Full sun-medium sun/average shade. The large, rounded, dark green leaves often hang onto the winter branches. At maturity the Persian Witch Hazel is an irresistible shade tree. Its broad leaves turn a clear, bright yellow in the autumn. Lots of beautiful specimens of the Persian Witch Hazel can be found throughout the Adelaide Hills. Fragrant, Fresh Cut Flower . 2. Sun/Shade: Partial shade to full shade Soil: Clay, Sand, Loam Habitat: Deciduous forests, stream banks, clearings Canadian Distribution: Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island (see map above, from VASCAN) American Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) View Plant Witch Hazel is probably most popularly known for its use in medicine historically and today, … Related species: The vernal witch hazel (Hamamelis vernalis) is similar to the common but blooms in late winter, often while the ground is still covered with snow. Virginia witch-hazel also offers good fall foliage—the six-inch long, toothed, strongly-veined leaves turning attractive shades of yellow. Core Characteristics. The flowers emerge in clusters that hug the stem, with yellow ribbon-like petals. It typically grows to 8-12’ tall and to 10-15’ wide over 10 years. A very astringent herb, it is commonly used in the West and is widely available from both herbalists and chemists[222]. 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