plantings
WITCH hazel
There’s really no downtime for these hardworking shrubs, but their winter show can be particularly spectacular. Caps of snow won’t harm witch hazel flowers, which have petals up to an inch long.
spot. Well-drained, loamy soil is best. PRUNING Light pruning will enhance witch hazel’s natural upright growth. Intermedia witch hazels are commonly grown on grafted root stock; shoots coming up from the base of a shrub should be cut off at soil level. ■
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flower anytime between fall and early spring; for flowers in the depths of winter, opt for Hamamelis vernalis (a North American native) or H. × intermedia hybrids, both shown here. ALL IN THE FAMILY The boldest modern witch hazels—hybrids of Japanese and Chinese species— are known as H. × intermedia. They have large fl owers with a spicy fragrance and bloom in late winter; they’re hardy ■
to Zone 5. ‘Arnold Promise’, ‘Jelena’, and ‘Diane’ are among the most widely available. Vernal witch hazels (H. vernalis, sometimes called Ozark witch hazels) are native to the lower Midwest and hardy to Zone 4. Their fl owers are smaller than those of the intermedia hybrids, but they are heavy bloomers with exceptional fall leaf color and a sweet fragrance. Common witch hazels, H. virginiana, are the hardiest of all—to Zone 3. They bloom BY M A R T Y R O S S
in November or December with lemon-scented fl owers amid the yellow fall foliage. All witch hazels bloom up to four weeks. PLANTING Plant witch hazels anytime from spring through early fall. Water once a week while they are becoming established. ■
CONDITIONS For the brightest fall foliage and most profuse bloom, give witch hazels a sunny ■
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D E S I G N I D E AS
Try witch hazels in a mixed planting border; their upright forms especially complement shrubs with more rounded habits. Or use witch hazels as architectural elements in a yard, standing sentry by a front door or beside a garden gate. SOURCES There are more than 100 named varieties of witch hazel, but only a couple dozen are widely available. Some can be found at garden shops and big box stores, others from mail-order specialists, including brokenarrow nursery.com and rarefindnursery.com. ■
PHOTOS: (THIS PAGE) NICOLA STOCKEN/GAP PHOTOS, (OPPOSITE) CARSON DOWNING; ICONS: GETTY IMAGES
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triking fall foliage, luminous coolseason flowers, interesting seed capsules, and a handsome structure give witch hazels yearround appeal. “They’re workhorse performers,” says Aaron Harpold, assistant director of horticulture at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, “so plant them in a spot where they always have an opportunity to shine.” Depending on the variety, this upright shrub can
Try to site plants so the soft winter sun will light up the flowers from behind.
