Peak Bloom Time: The common witch hazel (H. virginiana) peaks between mid October and mid November. 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. Early March is a good time to see many in bloom. Blooming of most cultivars has finished by mid- to late April.
A brisk winter walk through the Missouri Botanical Garden can be gratifying when you know for what and where to look. Join us this winter on a hunt for blooming witch hazels, located throughout the Garden.
The hazel family, Hamamelidaceae, is comprised of over 100 species of trees and shrubs, including winter hazels, ironwoods, sweetgums, and the witch hazels. From this family, the Garden exhibits not only species types but also hybrids; in total there are hundreds of winter-flowering witch hazel (Hamamelis spp.) shrubs throughout the grounds.
To increase your chances of spotting witch hazels, walk the paths and lawns through the Daylily Garden, the Knolls, and the Woodland Garden map (pdf) with an eye opened for the crumpled and rumpled petals of the witch hazel. The blooms can last up to four weeks and tend to be lightly to heavily scented, depending on the species. The most ‘witch hazel-bang’ for your walk can be found in the southern-most daylily beds map (pdf) - follow a grass path that starts at the Daylily water fountain and ends with a Maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba) that was planted during Shaw’s lifetime.
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’). The Japanese witch hazel, H. japonica, blooms February through March and has more fragrant flowers. Hybrids between these two species (Hamamelis x intermedia) tend to be more showy, with long-lasting, moderately fragrant blooms. The Garden grows numerous named cultivars. Notable for its fall color, fragrant yellow flowers, long bloom time, and narrow profile, ‘Arnold Promise’ can be seen in both the Daylily and Woodland Gardens. Cultivars such as ‘Old Copper’, ‘Aphrodite’ and ‘Rubin’ produce warm-colored blooms. An extremely late-flowering hybrid, ‘Orange Encore’ can bloom through April, before leafing out.
The Garden cultivates two species that are native to North America: H. virginiana and H. vernalis. The eastern witch hazels (H. virginiana) tend to bloom in the fall, with fragrant rust-colored flowers. 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. 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.
The number of witch hazel specimens in the Garden has increased substantially since 2006, with 75 new-to-the-Garden cultivars planted. While many of these plants are still small, they will add wonder to our winters for many years to come.
In a home garden, witch hazels can serve as a mid-level screen or backdrop and work well when either mixed in with taller trees or in full sun, where the plants will develop a round and open habit. |
