#common witchhazel

Common Witchhazel // Hamamelis virginiana

Family: Hamamalidaceae

Native Habitat: Missouri, Lousiana, Oklahoma

Size: 6' to 10' high and greater in spread

Growing Habitat: Prefers moist conditions, but overall very adaptable. Can do well in clay soils with varying pH. 

Hardiness Zone: 4 to 8

Color: New growth is bronze to reddish purple, medium to dark green in summer, then yellow to golden-yellow in the fall. 

Landscape: Has done well in groupings near large buildings, also in planter boxes. It's fragrant so it would be nice to line a pathway with. 

Hamamelis virginiana // Common Witchhazel

Grows  in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Best flowering in full sun. Prefers moist, acidic, organically rich soils. Tolerates heavy clay soils. Native to woodlands, forest margins and stream banks. Zone 3-8.

Native to eastern North America

Crown:

15-20'.

Leaves: simple, alternate.Oval to obovate, medium to dark green. Dentate to wavy margins.

Flowers: Stem-hugging clusters. Fragrant. Bright yellow. Each with four crinkly, ribbon-shaped petals, appear along the branches from October to December, usually after leaf drop.

Fruit: Fertilized flowers will form fruit extending through winter and into the following growing season. Greenish seed capsules that become woody with age. Mature to light brown. Each seed capsule splits open in fall of the following year, exploding the 1-2 black seeds within for up to 30 feet.

Promptly remove suckers to prevent colonial spread

Eco-indicator of warm sites. (wessels)