When To Plant Witch Hazel

Witch hazel is a very low-maintenance plant once established. Nothing more than the occasional watering and pruning is required. Plant this shrub in early spring or late fall for the best results. A sunny location is ideal, though in very hot areas some afternoon shade will be beneficial.

Where should I plant witch hazel?

Witch hazels perform best in full sun (or filtered shade in hotter regions), where the flowers glow like fiery embers in the backlight of the low winter sun. They prefer well-amended soil and regular water and are tolerant of acid or alkaline conditions.

How quickly does witch hazel grow?

This shrub grows at a medium rate, with height increases of 13–24″ per year.

Is witch hazel hard to grow?

Witch Hazel Growing Requirements Witch hazel shrubs like moist soil but are adaptable. Even though they are considered an understory plant, they will thrive in part shade to full sun. Care for witch hazel requires minimal time apart from regular water the first season and pruning only to shape as desired.

Does witch hazel grow in winter?

The most notable of winter-flowering woody plants, witch hazels bloom in the dead of winter. DURING THE COLD WINTER MONTHS, when gardens in temperate climates seem as inviting as the tundra, witch hazels (Hamamelis spp.) provide a burst of bloom and fragrance that is a welcome harbinger of things to come.

When can I move witch hazel?

Proper care for witch-hazel Flowering witch-hazels in their containers are best simply left in their pot until the end of the blooming, at which point they may be settled into the ground. Plants purchased while already 24 to 48 inches (60 to 120 cm) tall will have the highest transplant success rate.

Does witch hazel prefer sun or shade?

Where to plant witch hazels. Ideally choose an open, sunny position in the garden. Although witch hazels will tolerate partial shade, they become straggly in very shady sites. Witch hazels need free-draining soil that doesn’t dry out in summer (water if needed).

What grows well with witch hazel?

Common witch-hazel is at its best as a border plant, understory companion or a specimen in combination with plants such as Ilex opaca, Kalmia latifolia, Viburnum acerifolium, Polystichum acrostichoides, and Rhododendron periclymenoides.

Does witch hazel have deep roots?

Witch hazels have shallow, slow-growing root systems, which do best in large planting areas to ensure normal growth and development.

How do you use witch hazel plant?

Its extracts are used in many cosmetics and skin-care products, including aftershaves. Witch hazel soothes the pain and itch of bites, stings, sunburns, bruises and abrasions. Just soak a cotton pad in witch hazel and apply to the bite or burn.

How high does witch hazel grow?

It is quite a large shrub with some specimens eventually reaching a height and spread of 5m (16′). The twigs were commonly used as divining rods. The leaves and bark are used to produce an astringent, which is used in the treatment of bruises, swelling, insect bites and as a component of aftershave.

Where does witch hazel grow naturally?

Witch hazel is a large shrub or a small multi-stemmed tree that is native to North America, China and Japan. There are four species in North America. The most commonly used variety is Hamamelis virginiana. Outside of North America, there is one species native to China and another species native to Japan.

Do birds like witch hazel?

Vernal witch hazel (Hamamelis vernalis). After its very early spring bloom, this small tree or large shrub forms seed pods that many birds eat. Their berries are eaten by more than 40 species of birds, including hermit thrushes, cardinals, woodpeckers and robins. They also have spring flowers and good fall color.

Do bees like witch hazel?

Witch hazel also produces sticky pollen and nectar with a sucrose ratio typical of bee or fly-pollinated flowers.

Is witch hazel good for plants?

They prefer moist, well-amended, well-drained soil and regular water, and are tolerant of both acid or alkaline conditions. Its extreme cold hardiness and resistance to insects and disease make witch hazel a good choice for an easy-care planting. They are moderately resistant to drought once established.

Why is it called witch hazel?

The name witch hazel is a derivation from old English “wice” or “wiche” which means pliant or bendable. Early English settlers found that the branches of the witch hazel could be used to douse or divine for underground water much as the hazel bush (Corylus) was used back in England.

Does witch hazel have side effects?

Possible Side Effects Studies show that allergic reactions to witch hazel are rare. 1 Healthcare providers consider witch hazel safe when applied to the skin, but not when swallowed. Ingesting witch hazel can cause problems like nausea, vomiting, and liver damage.

Are there different types of witch hazel?

Witch-hazel (Hamamelis) is the most well-known Hamamelidaceae genus among gardeners and includes the only native New England representative of the family—Hamamelis virginiana, the common witch-hazel. There are two other North American species, H. vernalis (vernal or Ozark witch-hazel) and H.

Is witch hazel a perennial?

It produces bright, fragrant, spidery flowers in the fall and winter. Witch hazel is a very hardy plant.How to Grow Witch Hazel. Botanical Name Hamamelis virginiana Plant Type Perennial, shrub Mature Size 10-20 ft. tall, 10-20 ft. wide Sun Exposure Full, partial.

How do you identify witch hazel in the winter?

The blooming can continue for weeks, but by late winter, only yellowish sepals (pictured above) remain in clusters on branches. The leaf buds of American Witch-hazel are fuzzy, brown, and lack protective scales (the last feature is described by botanists as having naked buds).

Does witch hazel have antibacterial properties?

While it may be used in sanitizing products or hand sanitizers, witch hazel is not meant to be used as a disinfectant. Experts say that astringents like witch hazel aren’t the same as other household cleaners you can use right now.

Why is my witch hazel not flowering?

Witch hazels are very early bloomers, but they’re also very cold-tolerant. If you had no flowers and see no swelling flower buds, the only other outside possibilities would be very deep shade (witch hazels need some sun to flower well) or some sort of stress, such as bugs or disease.