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WitchhazelHamamelis virginiana
A native small tree or large shrub with fantastic fall attributes. Yellow, fragrant flowers bloom from October through December. Attractive foliage in all growing seasons with leaves bright green in spring followed by yellow to yellowish-orange colors in fall. A great tree to plant as an understory or for a shrub border in large areas. Prefers moist soils, but is tolerant of a variety of conditions. Expose to full sun or partial shade. Grows 15' to 30' high with a similar spread.
Hardiness Zones
The witchhazel can be expected to grow in Hardiness Zones 3–8. View Map
Tree Type
Mature Size
Witchhazel grows to a height of 15–30' and a spread of 15–25' at maturity.
Growth Rate
This shrub grows at a medium rate, with height increases of 13–24" per year.
Sun Preference
Full sun and partial shade are best for this shrub, meaning it prefers a minimum of 4 hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
Soil Preference
Witchhazel grows in acidic, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, silty loam and well-drained soils. It tolerates a variety of moisture conditions.
Attributes
This shrub:
- Produces fragrant yellow flowers, each with 4 strap-like crumpled petals, anytime from October through December.
- Features obovate or elliptic leaves 3–6" in length that are medium green, turning a nice shade of yellow or yellowish-orange in the fall.
- Can be grown as a small tree or multi-stemmed shrub.
- Grows in an irregular, rounded shape.
History/Lore
It was introduced in 1736. The extract witchhazel is distilled from the bark of young stems and roots.