The flowers of this shrub may be small, but they make up for it in quantity and fragrance.
Thegolden-yellow flowersof witch hazel(Hamamelisspp.
)release a spicy scent when theybloom in the falland winter.
Adam Albright.
Although they are small, witch hazel blossoms are worth planting the shrub.
Depending on the species, witch hazel blooms at odd times, usually when few other flowers are out.
What these little flowers lack in size, they make up for in quantity and timing.
Credit: Dency Kane
Bare stems covered in colorful ribbons are stunning, and they are also fragrant.
An even more fragrant species is Chinese witch hazel, which blooms even earlier in mid to late winter.
A single shrub of Chinese witch hazel can easily perfume an entire yard.
Credit: Denny Schrock
The other U.S. native is common witch hazel (H. virginiana), which blooms in late fall.
The plant needswell-draining, moist soil.
It prefers slightly acidic, loamy soil but tolerates other growing conditions.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
When planting more than one witch hazel, space them 12-15 feet apart.
The shrubs are useful as backdrop plants, screens, hedges, and specimen trees.
How and When to Plant Witch Hazel
Plant witch hazel plants in early spring or late fall.
Credit: Stephen Cridland
They are available as nursery-grown plants and as bare-root plants.
Backfill the hole, pressing down on the soil to prevent air bubbles.
Water the plant and spread 2-3 inches of mulch over the root zone.
Credit: Dency Kane
Dig a hole about 18 inches wide and as deep as the root system of the witch hazel.
Amend the soil as needed and build a small mound of soil at the bottom of the hole.
Spread the roots over the mound, adjusting the height so thebare-root plantsits at the previous soil level.
Its topmost roots should be just barely under the soil level.
Hold the plant with one hand while backfilling the hole with the other.
They need to first go through a warm season and a cold season.
Witch Hazel Care Tips
Witch hazel is easy to grow in a variety of conditions.
Light
In the wild, witch hazel grows as an understory plant beneath larger trees.
While it tolerates these conditions,plant it in full sunfor the most stunning display of winter flowers.
Witch hazel can grow fine in part shade, but expect fewer blossoms and more muted fall colors.
Soil and Water
Witch hazel is mildly picky about soil,preferring slightly acidic, loamy soil.
It can be temperamental in clay soil, so amend it with compost or organic matter before planting.
It grows best in average humidity.
Pruning
Prune witch hazel in springbefore it leafs out.
It doesn’t require much pruning except to remove any dead branches and maintain the plant’s shape.
Suckers that come up from the base of the plant should also be removed.
The container should be situated in a sunny area outside and remain there year-round.
The container should have several drainage holes and container feet to verify the holes are not blocked.
Repot to a 2-inch larger container when it outgrows its pot or threatens to topple over in the wind.
Pests and Problems
The witch hazel leaf gall aphids attack the shrub’s buds.
The eastern tent caterpillar is much easier to see, as are the chewed-up leaves on the shrub.
Pick off the caterpillars and drop them into soapy water as soon you see them.
Deer and rabbits find witch hazel tasty, but the damage is usually minimal.
When grown in overly wet soil, the shrub may develop a fungal disease such aspowdery mildew.
How to Propagate Witch Hazel
Species witch hazel shrubs are usually propagated by seeds.
The seeds form in capsules that ripen in mid to late fall, almost a year after flowering.
Collect the capsules before they turn brown and eject their seeds.
(Watch for one capsule to eject seeds to indicate the correct timing.)
Lightly cover them with soil and water the bed.
Mark the bed clearly and leave it undisturbed until germination occurs, which can take up to two years.
These hybrids bloom in mid to late winter and come in a surprising array of colors.
Many retain the lovely fragrance of their Chinese parentage.
It grows 12 feet tall and wide.
Plant in zones 5-8.
Chinese Witch Hazel
Hamamelis mollishas some of the most fragrant flowers of all the species.
It reaches up to 20 feet and grows in zones 5-8.
It grows 12 feet tall and wide.
Plant in zones 3-8.
‘Jelena’ Witch Hazel
Hamamelisxintermedia’Jelena' offers lovely orange-red flowers in early winter.
In autumn, the foliage turns shades of orange and red.
It grows 12 feet tall and wide.
Plant in zones 5-8.
It grows 10 feet tall and wide.
Plant in zones 4-8.
Witch hazel shrubs bloom continually for up to eight weeks.
