Common Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
Estimated Height at Pickup: 2-3’, 3 gal
A.k.a. winterbloom. As the name implies, this small tree blooms from fall to early winter with distinctive, spidery yellow blooms. Generally adaptable so long as extremely dry soil is avoided, it prefers part sun and rich soils. Flowers are particularly showy when they bloom after the leaves have fallen, or if they overlap with an early snowfall!
Pollination: Likely self pollinating.
Light: Full Sun, Part Sun/Shade, Shade
Soil Moisture: Wet, Medium Wet, Medium
Soil Type: Loam, Sandy Loam, Clay Loam
Height: 10’-20’
Width: 10’-20’
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Oct-Dec
Fruit: Black seeds in a small seed capsule mature in fall.
Fall Color: Yellow
Root Type: Branching
Notable Wildlife Interactions: Flowers attract mainly flies and wasps. Hosts a number of moths including the witch-hazel dagger moth, and a few smaller insects including beetles, weevils, and leafhoppers. Grouse, turkey, and small mammals feed on seeds, and foliage is commonly browsed by deer and rabbits.
Notes: Seed capsules split and eject seeds up to 30’ away when the mature in fall, around the same time the tree blooms. Commercially available witch hazel is an extract from the bark used as an astringent.