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Photo of Hamamelis virginiana foliage by Karl Gercens III

Photo by Karl Gercens IIIView Original Photo

Photo of Hamamelis virginiana flower by Karl Gercens III

Photo of Hamamelis virginiana foliage by Keeping it Green Nursery

Photo of Hamamelis virginiana flower by Prairie Nursery

Photo of Hamamelis virginiana flower, foliage by Karl Gercens III

Photo of Hamamelis virginiana trunk by Kristine Paulus

Photo of Hamamelis virginiana flower by Kristine Paulus

Photo of Hamamelis virginiana flower by Petal Talk

Photo of Hamamelis virginiana flower by Cistus Nursery

Buy Hamamelis virginiana

Also Known As

Hamamelis macrophylla
Common Witch Hazel
Witch Hazel

Plant type

tree, shrub

size

H: 12'-20'
W: 8'-12'

planting zones

3a-8b

1 gallon | $16.02

Avail in US except West Coast, HI/AK

Fewer than 2 at Maples N More Nursery

2 gallon | $23.51

Avail in US except West Coast, HI/AK

Fewer than 4 at Maples N More Nursery

3 gallon | $32.07

Avail in US except West Coast, HI/AK

Fewer than 4 at Maples N More Nursery

1 gallon - bare root | $22.39

Shipping flat rate $8.49

Fewer than 15 at Red Panda Nursery

More Options

Hamamelis virginiana plant details

Hamamelis virginiana is an easy to grow broadleaf deciduous shrub or tree with. In fall and winter yellow flowers emerge. Attracts bees and hummingbirds making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Grows well with sun - mostly shade and even moisture - regular water. Does well in average, clay, rich and well-drained soil.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Hamamelis virginiana

Plant type: shrub or tree
Plant family: hamamelidaceae
Mature size: 8 FT - 12 FT - wide, 12 FT - 20 FT - tall
Flowers: yellow blooms in fall and winter
Uses: bare root shipping available, border plant, cutting garden, fall color, focal point, vase-shaped, woodland garden

GROWING CONDITIONS for Hamamelis virginiana

USDA Zones: 3a - 8b
Sun exposure: sun - mostly shade
Watering frequency: even moisture - regular
Resistant to: deer
Soil needs: average, clay, rich and well-drained

About Hamamelis

Hamamelis, commonly called witch hazels, are medium to large shrubs, usually with a graceful, spreading vase shape. They’re best known for their flowers, which appear in clusters all along the branches, with small, ribbon-like petals. Besides their beautiful flowers in a season of scarcity, they also often have amazing fall foliage.

Why grow Hamamelis?

Witch hazels make excellent additions to woodlands, at the back of a border, or as a focal point. Place them where you can enjoy the fall foliage and flowers, and combine them with plants that bloom later in spring or summer. Witch hazels make lovely cut flowers. A few stems of one of the fragrant species or cultivars can scent a room. The flowers attract pollinators including hummingbirds and bumblebees.

How to care for Hamamelis

Witch hazels love rich, loamy, well-drained soils with regular water and dappled shade or afternoon shade. They will also grow in full sun in cooler climates with enough water. They need little care apart from pruning as needed to control their size or remove unwanted branches. Pruning is best done soon after they finish blooming, as witch hazels bloom on old wood formed the previous spring and summer. Witch hazels are generally deer-resistant, but may be browsed if other foods are scarce.

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

Witch Hazel is a native small tree or large deciduous bush. It has a fragrant yellow blooms from October to December. The leaves emerge a vivid green in spring and turn a bright yellow to yellow-orange for fall. It can be planted as an under story tree or kept pruned to maintain a shorter height. Very tolerant of most soil conditions, but prefers moist and acidic soil to thrive. Witch Hazel means 'to bend' which is why they are used for divining rods. It has many medicinal uses such as bruises, hemorrhoids, and a facial astringent.

By: Maples N More Nursery

The commercial source of witch hazel, this 15' graceful, spreading shrub is the last to bloom in fall when its unusual golden ribbon-like flowers unfurl, the lightly fragrant flowers usually make their appearance after the leaves drop in autumn, but sometimes they appear at the same time as the yellow fall color; found growing in the Eastern United States these shrubs are very adaptable to most garden conditions (including clay), remove suckers if you do not wish this shrub to spread, otherwise it is a maintenance free shrub. S-PSh/M

By: Forestfarm

Witch Hazel is a popular landscaping plant because of its attractive and dense foliage, multi-trunked small tree habit, and fragrant yellow flowers in the dead of winter. Gardeners are always looking for plants that start growing early in the spring or even late in the winter to get them through the slow start each year.

American Witch Hazel is native across the Eastern states and is popular in landscaping for its fragrant flowers and tolerance of a wide range of growing conditions. Once established they are drought tolerant and grow quickly even in poor soils. The American species flowers earlier than most other Witch Hazel species, with the first blooms appearing as early as October and continuing through the winter. They typically grow to around 20 feet tall and develop into a multi-trunked tree form over time, although they can be pruned to a single trunk if desired. The fall color is a light orange.

By: Red Panda Nursery

Most often used as a rootstock for selected cultivars. This native American shrub can grow to 20 ft. with equal spread. Prefers moist soils, but full sun in the landscape encourages more compact growth. Trim branches just before the plant blooms to force indoor flowers.

By: Heritage Seedlings

New leaves emerge reddish-bronze in spring on this unique, versatile native and turn a brilliant gold for a late season show. The last woody plant to flower each year, Hamamelis virginiana boasts fragrant, yellow Autumn flowers that persist after leaf drop. Used for a variety of medicinal purposes. Folklore holds that a forked stick from a Witchhazel can help locate underground water. Zones 3-8.

By: Prairie Nursery

Blooms: fall-winter, yellow/ deciduous yellow autumn color Zone 3-9. 6'-20', Eastern US, shade-sun, moist, well drained

By: Keeping it Green Nursery

A small Native understory small tree or shrub of deciduous forests. New leaves emerge reddish-bronze and are a quite showy clear yellow in Fall. 1" spider-like yellow flowers with crinkled petals and a nice light, spicy fragrance. One of the last 'Woodies' to bloom, in October to November. Although a classic in the American garden for 200 years, it's been foolishly ignored in this country in favor of Japanese hybrids while it's all the rage in Japanese gardens! Go figure. :-)