Witch Hazels (Hamamelis) are beautiful winter blooming shrubs which are common in the east but not in the west.

The flowers look like shredded crepe paper and bloom in January with a citrus like fragrance.

The flower colors of the species range from yellow to orange to red. The pictures above were taken from an English magazine called “The Garden”.

Most of the garden plants range from 10′ to 15′ tall and wide.

There are 3 species native to North America, 1 species native to China and 1 species native to Japan. Most of the garden plants are hybrids of the Japanese and Chinese species and have the name Hamamelis x intermedia with a cultivar name following. The orange one above is called Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena’. The “x” in the name indicates that it is a hybrid.

The above plant is about 15 years old from a 5 gallon can planted at Dawn Gardens. This is an excellent plant for a winter garden.

Fall color is beautiful.

It is in the Hamamelidaceae family along with Parrotia (Persian Ironwood) and Corylopsis (Winter Hazel).

Persian Ironwood (Parrotia)

Corylopsis pauciflora