1 of 2 Pick Witch Hazel 1 of 2 possible photos. Vernal witch hazel (Hamamelis vernalis) and the intermedia witch hazels (hybrids resulting from crosses between Japanese and Chinese witch hazels) flower from early February to late March. Blooming of most cultivars has finished by mid- to late April. It does however bloom in January or February. Foliage – deciduous Flowering – January to March. “Even here, with our severe winters, I’ve seen it start as early as New Year’s Day,” says Stephen Breyer, owner of Tripple Brook Farm in Southhampton, MA. Fruits of the witch hazel from last autumn's flowers are readily visible among the bright green leaves of spring. Yes, that’s right. First, its growth is very slow, and second, even when it has become a mature tree it is still quite small. [11] Often found on shaded hillsides or in deep ravines, Witch-hazel can be easily found on the Blue Ridge Parkway from milepost 130 through milepost 367. Winter-flowering witch hazels can sometimes be mistaken for a confused or over-achieving Forsythia, as both shrubs grow quite large and have flowers that open before any foliage appears. Required fields are marked *. “If it turns cold the blossoms will roll back up and will endure sub-zero temperatures. Name – Hamamelis I never realized witch hazel was an actual plant. H. mollis, the Chinese witch hazel, has a long bloom period (January through March) and has quarter-sized yellow flowers that are less likely to be fragrant (an exception is ‘Goldcrest’). So you might have thought it was a sign of spring but the blooms likely have been there since fall. Hamamelis virginiana (common witch hazel) is a 15- to 20-foot-tall shrub that flowers with yellow blooms from October to December. Instead, the ribbonlike petals curl up temporarily, and as soon as the temperature rises, they unfurl again. The blooms are generally not much bigger than a penny, composed of ribbon-like petals in a variety of colors such as orange, yellow, red, pink, and purple. Witch hazel is a shrub that deserves a spot in any garden. It is a very hardy plant and has few problems with disease. Witch hazel flowers. It always ends here when my witch hazel opens as it did today, Feb. 19, about on time. When does this bloom? I just see it in the health and beauty section. The genus name, Hamamelis, means "together with fruit", referring to the simultaneous occurrence of flowers with the maturing fruit from the previous year. The thing about witch hazel – and this is significant, given the grayness of this in-between time in Maine – is that it blooms in mid-November. Asiatic species of Witchhazels are among the most exciting shrubs & small trees for the winter garden, not only for the beautiful form of their gnarly limbs & scaly bark, but most especially because they are in full bloom a couple weeks after Christmas. The common witch hazel (H. virginiana) peaks between mid October and mid November. Native witch hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, has clear yellow flowers that begin to bloom in October, although they are often masked under the plant's leaves. As the leaves of the trees are all but fallen, the witch hazel comes into glorious bloom in late October to early November in the eastern United States. The natural acidity this bark bequeaths favors witch-hazel growth and retains moisture. It's always something of a miracle to see flowers in bloom this early and no matter the weather. [11] [14] The ointment may ease discomfort from post-partum vaginal soreness and hemorrhoids . 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. The large, rounded, dark green leaves often hang onto the winter branches. 'Wisley Supreme ' is a Chinese witch hazels and tops out at 10-15 ft. tall and 10-15 ft. wide. Soil – rather rich, Foliage – deciduous Need advice? If you’re lucky to have a terrace that can welcome a large pot, you’ll be able to grow witch-hazel in a container, because its slow growth makes it a good candidate to growing in such spaces. On the other hand, most vernal witch hazels (H. vernalis) bloom in late winter, often whilst retaining their leaves; the Garden’s earliest blooming Ozark witch hazel is ‘Christmas Cheer,’ on display in the Daylily and Woodland Gardens. Nice to know the origin. Witch-hazel is perfectly suited to growing in a small garden because of two things. Common witch-hazel is a large shrub with a picturesque irregular branching habit that naturally grows along woodland edges. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful. Share your garden joys & woes! Follow us there, comment, and share! Learn more about the folklore surrounding witch hazel and enjoy some helpful medicinal recipes starring witch hazel. Bloom Time. Chinese fringe-flower shrubs generally begin flowering in late winter, usually in February, and cover themselves in masses of blossoms through March. It first opens in winter, usually during a warm spell, but the flowers don’t die when the temperature drops back down. Your email address will not be published. Witch hazel is a genus of flowering plants in the family Hamamelidaceae. A few of the spring-flowering witch hazels can start blooming by the end of December or early January depending upon weather but peak occurs between mid January and mid March. An extremely late-flowering hybrid, ‘Orange Encore’ can bloom through April, before leafing out. These flowers will then be replaced with superb deep green leaves. It first opens in winter, usually during a warm spell, but the flowers don’t die when the temperature drops back down. Something amazing is about to happen in the Bernice E. Lavin Plant Evaluation Garden: dozens and dozens of witch hazels will all burst into bloom at once in February.It's year two of our six-year witch hazel trial, which compares 36 different cultivars (three of each!) Photo by Larry Stritch. Recycle your green waste to cover your hardy…, Wintersweet is a wonderful winter-blooming shrub tree. The Garden wouldn't be the Garden without our Members, Donors and Volunteers. [11] [15] [ needs update ] [16] It is commonly used to treat diaper rash in infants, and may reduce symptoms of inflammation from minor skin injuries. No comments yet – be the first to share your thoughts! The Garden cultivates two species that are native to North America: H. virginiana and H. vernalis. Actually the witch hazel deserves its own story. Flowering – January to March. If you are sitting inside by the fire drinking cognac gazing at … When the witch-hazel loses its leaves in fall, it then grows magnificent flowers with lemon-yellow colors at the beginning of January. It has yellow blooms with red centers that appear in … Hybrids between these two species (Hamamelis x intermedia) tend to be more showy, with long-lasting, moderately fragrant blooms. Most perennial plants bloom for roughly two weeks, but witch hazel does so for eight weeks or more. Late Sep-Oct. Where does this bloom? Even though Witch-hazel blooms when the weather is cooler, it relies primarily on insects for pollination. Readily accessible examples of Ozark witch hazels are in the Martha Love Symington Missouri Native Shade Garden at the Kemper Center for Home Gardening, with branches near the path for those curious noses to sniff out the winter-fresh fragrance from the dime-sized flowers. Guess that warm spell did the trick altho this is about average--maybe a couple of days early. Depending on the species, witch hazel blooms at odd times, usually when not many other flowers are out. Its crinkly yellow flowers bloom in the fall. They are hardly noticeable. Pruning and caring are practices that will enhance blooming and growth. Lastly, let us note that it is quite invulnerable to diseases and parasites which makes it an easy tree to care for. Although it does have interesting wavy leaves which add character in the forest, or woodland landscape design, throughout the summer, its real beauty is in the late fall when its yellow fall colour drops and it begins to bloom. The eastern witch hazels (H. virginiana) tend to bloom in the fall, with fragrant rust-colored flowers. Mulch prepared from pine bark is a good idea. Cultivars such as ‘Old Copper,’ ‘Aphrodite,’ and ‘Rubin’ produce warm-colored blooms. Family – Hamamelidaceae Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. For plants purchased in pots or containers, you can plant in other seasons than fall as long as both hot and cold spells are avoided. Watering is needed on a regular basis for witch-hazel when it’s hot and during the 2 first years after planting. In summer, always favor watering in the evening to keep water from evaporating. Most species bloom from January to March and display beautiful spidery flowers that let off a slightly spicy fragrance. The fruits release the small, black seeds explosively, sometimes hurling them 30 feet (10m) away from the parent tree. We believe that sunlight hitting a frosty witch hazel bloom is one of the most enchanting sights in the winter garden. This is more of a shrub. I would love to have some here in Central Texas. Witch-hazel is now an ingredient widely used in many pharmaceutical preparations thanks to its soothing properties on skin, especially dermatitis, and its influence on blood flow, varicose veins and hemorrhoids. Water in case of heat wave or prolonged dry spell because plants in pots need water more often. Exposure – full sun, part sun Witch-hazel may be sold as a semisolid ointment, cream, gel, or salve for topical use. If you shelter your witch-hazel from cold wind, you’ll be extending its blooming. The Garden grows numerous named cultivars. Early March is a good time to see many in bloom. Hamamelis vernalis (Ozark witch hazel) is a 6- to 10-foot shrub hardy in zones 4 to 8. Pruning and caring are practices that will enhance blooming and growth. Fragrant, spider-like, yellow-orange flowers bloom on bare branches in mid- to late winter. The yellow flowers exude a pleasant spicy fragrance. Extracts from the leaves, bark, and twigs provide the aromatic salve called witch hazel, used to sooth cuts and burns and the rasp of the shaving razor. It is hardy in zones 3 to 8. The blooming Witch Hazel bush is so pretty.. sort of like simple, rustic .. love the colors. American witch-hazel is a small, spreading tree of the subcanopy. Height – 6 ½ to 16 feet (2 to 5 meters) Exposure – full sun, part sun Soil – rather rich. No pruning is actually needed, particularly so because its growth is rather slow. Common witch hazel blooms in late fall or winter, producing clusters of fragrant yellow flowers with crinkly, ribbon-like petals. Name – Hamamelis Family – Hamamelidaceae Type – shrub. They are beautiful. H. virginiana blooms in September–November while the other species bloom from January–March. Click to open posts in a new tab. 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