Hamamelis virginiana: 'Witch Hazel'

Latin name:  Hamamelis virginiana
Common name:  Witch Hazel
Flowers: 1 inch yellow strap-like flowers, blooms September-December ¹⁰
Fruit or cones: Brown fruit ¹⁰
Height & Width:  6-12 ft ¹⁰
Type:  Deciduous ¹⁰
Habit:  Upright, tree ¹⁰
Wetland indicator category**: FACU ¹⁷
Texture:  Medium ¹⁰
Growth rate:  Medium ¹⁰
Light:  Part-shade, shade ¹⁰
Moisture:  Dry-moist ¹⁰
Soil*: Acidic pH<6.8, rich well-drained soil ¹⁰
Zones:  3-8 ¹²
Origin:  SE-NE regions ¹⁶
Ecosystem benefits: Food or habitat for wildlife, medicinal use ¹⁰

Features:  Attractive yellow, strap-like flowers in the fall, green foliage in spring-summer. Flowers also fragrant. Fruit from tree feeds birds and deer. Has medicinal uses ¹⁰.

Siting:  Part-shade, shade with well-drained, rich soil. Acidic soils ¹⁰. Can tolerate heavy clay soils ¹².

Care: Plant so root flare is visible at soil surface ¹⁴.  At planting, water the root ball daily with two gallons of water per inch of trunk diameter for two weeks, every other day for two months and then weekly until established. Modify water recommendations to reflect site drainage and rainfall. Apply 3” of mulch over the planted area. Do not allow mulch to touch the trunk ¹⁴.  

Pests: Plants are relatively pest resistant if cultural preferences are met ¹⁰.

This plant does not appear on the following invasive plant lists on (10-19-20):

• USDA SC Invasive Plant Species Web site at http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/plants/main.shtml
• SC Exotic Plant Pest Council Web site at http://www.se-eppc.org/southcarolina/

Author: Reese Bryant

Image source: http://keystonewildflowers.com/plants/shrubs-vines/hamamelis-virginiana-witch-hazel/

Sources:

1. Armitage, A. (2001). Armitage’s manual of annuals, biennials, and half-hardy perennials. Portland, OR: Timber Press.
2. Armitage, A. (2006). Armitage’s native plants for North American gardens. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press.
3. Armitage, A. (2008). Herbaceous perennial plants: A treatise on their identification, culture, and garden attributes. Athens, GA: University of Georgia.
4. Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center.(2011). Flowers fact sheets. Retrieved from https://hgic.clemson.edu/category/flowers/
5. Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center.(2011). Groundcovers & vines fact sheets. Retrieved from https://hgic.clemson.edu/category/groundcovers/
6. Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center.(2011). Trees. Retrieved from https://hgic.clemson.edu/category/trees/
7. Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center.(2011). Shrubs. Retrieved from https://hgic.clemson.edu/category/shrubs/
8. Dirr, M. A. (2009). Manual of woody landscape plants. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing.
9. Gilman, E. F. (1997). Trees for urban and suburban landscapes. Albany, NY: Delmar Publishers.
10. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center University of Texas at Austin. (2012). Native plant information network. Retrieved from http://www.wildflower.org/explore/
11. McMillan, P., Plant taxonomist Clemson University, personal communication.
12. Missouri Botanical Garden Kemper Center for Home Gardening. Plant finder. Retrieved from http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Alpha.asp
13. North Carolina State University (2005). Plant fact sheets. Retrieved from http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/index.html
14. Strother, E. V., Ham, D. L., Gilland, L. (2003) Urban tree species guide: Choosing the right tree for the right place.  Columbia, SC: South Carolina Forestry Commission.
15. University of Florida, IFAS Extension. (2011). Southern trees fact sheet. Retrieved from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/department_envhort-trees
16. USDA . Plant profile. (n/d).Retrieved from http://plants.usda.gov/java/
17. USDA. Plant wetland indicator status. (n/d). Retrieved from http://plants.usda.gov/wetland.html
18. Vincent, E., Environmental horticulturist Clemson University, personal communication.
19. Clemson Extension. Carolina Yards Plant Database. Retrieved from https://www.clemson.edu/extension/carolinayards/plant-database/index.htm

*Soil pH is determined using a professional soil test. Contact your Clemson University County Extension service for assistance www.clemson.edu/extension/. Click on “local offices”.

**2012 Plant Wetland Indicator categories (quantitative derived) http://plants.usda.gov/wetinfo.html

 

Indicator Code	Indicator Status	Comment
OBL	Obligate Wetland	Almost always is a hydrophyte, rarely in uplands
FACW	Facultative Wetland	Usually is a hydrophyte but occasionally found in uplands
FAC	Facultative	Commonly occurs as either a hydrophyte or non-hydrophyte
FACU	Facultative Upland	Occasionally is a hydrophyte but usually occurs in uplands
UPL	Obligate Upland	Rarely is a hydrophyte, almost always in uplands