The Witch Hazel is Blooming
We still have another two weeks of winter, but the gardens at my Bedford, New York farm are already beginning to show signs of spring.
This time of year is when all the witch hazel shrubs are blooming. With their fragrant, butter yellow to orange and scarlet red flowers, witch hazels add a lovely spark of life to otherwise gray winter landscapes. Although witch hazel has many common names, its generic name means “together with fruit” - it is the only tree in North America to have flowers, ripe fruit and next year’s leaf buds on its branches at the same time. Their diversity, beauty, and all-season appeal make them one of the most well-loved garden shrubs.
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- This time of year, excitement always grows at the first signs of spring. The witch hazel is now blooming at my farm. Witch hazel grows as small trees or shrubs with numerous clusters of rich yellow to orange-red flowers.
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- Witch hazel is great for splashes of winter color. They’re very hardy and are not prone to a lot of diseases.
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- Witch hazel is a genus of flowering plants in the family Hamamelidaceae. Most species bloom from January to March and display beautiful spidery flowers that let off a slightly spicy fragrance.
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- The flowers are able to curl inward to protect the inner structures from freezing during cold wintery weather.
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- Hamamelis mollis, or Chinese witch hazel, is the most fragrant of all the species. Chinese witch hazel begins blooming as early as January and has buttery yellow petals and clear yellow fall foliage.
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- Japanese witch hazel, Hamamelis japonica, has showy yellow or red flowers.
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- There are five species of witch hazel – Hamamelis virginiana, Hamamelis vernalis, Hamamelis japonica, Hamamelis mollis, and Hamamelis ovalis. All of these produce flowers with strap-like crumpled petals.
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- Witch hazels possess shallow, slow-growing root systems, which do best in large planting areas to ensure normal growth and development. Fortunately, I have a lot of room to grow these pretty shrubs.
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- Witch hazel is a unique shrub because it features flowers, next year’s leaf buds, and fruit all at the same time.
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- While most varieties reach 10 to 20 feet high and wide at maturity, witch hazels can be kept smaller with pruning once they are finished blooming.
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- Witch hazel is great for attracting pollinators and songbirds as well as for deterring deer.
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- These plants perform best in full sun, or filtered shade in hotter regions. They prefer well-amended soil and regular water, and are tolerant of acid or alkaline conditions. I have several shrubs near my Summer House and more near my allée of lindens.
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- Witch hazels need a winter chill to achieve full flowering. For best results, temperatures should drop to at least 30-degrees Fahrenheit. Most of the species and cultivars are hardy down to negative 10-degrees Fahrenheit.
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- Gardeners usually plant witch hazel for its ornamental qualities – in spring and summer witch hazel is a very attractive plant with dark green leaves and graceful, spreading shapes.
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- Witch hazel will grow in one of six basic shapes – upright, vase-shaped, oval or rounded, spreading, horizontal or weeping.
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- Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena’ is a popular cultivar with its coppery orange flowers that appear in early to mid-winter.
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- Witch hazel works well as a natural remedy because it contains tannins, which when applied to the skin, can help decrease swelling and fight bacteria.
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- Witch hazel leaves, bark and twigs are used to make lotions and astringents for treating certain skin inflammations and other irritations.
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- However, wildlife appreciate it also – leaves are an important food source for native insects and many native birds and animals eat the seeds that follow the flowers in the winter.
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- Witch hazels can thrive in many gardens given the right conditions and care. I love seeing the witch hazels in bloom – it’s a good sign that spring is just around the corner.
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