Hello!
I Hope you all are doing well and had a great Holiday. I know it’s only February, but let’s start thinking spring.
I would like to tell you about Witch-hazel Hamamelis) there are many varieties. There are some that flower in the spring and some in late fall (H. virginiana).I would like to talk about the ones that flower in the spring.
The most common spring flowering Witch hazels is ‘Arnold’s Promise’ (Hamamelis intermedia) It gets large, fragrant, yellow flowers in early spring (even before the forsythia bloom) and grows 12 to 15’ tall and 8 to 12’ wide. It also has a nice fall color. It’s a moderate grower and sun lover but can handle some shade.
This a cute little info when the day is cold the flowers close-up, but when it’s warm they will open.
Next, I would like to focus on Witch Hazel ‘Diane’ which is so pretty, so let’s get started.
It’s delightfully fragrant and come in a rare orangey–red hue that really draws attention in an icy landscape and blooms mid to late winter (February and March).
This lovely shrub gets 8-10’ tall and 6-8’ wide and it is moderate to fast grower. Plant in an open sunny area, but not too exposed. It prefers some protection against strong winter winds and deep freezing that could damage the early blooms.
Summer foliage is oval to obovate dark green and up to 6″ long. Fall color is a beautiful red–orange. Prune after blooming to maintain desired shape and to remove dead and broken branches.
I can’t say this enough. Flowering shrubs should be trimmed shortly after they finish blooming, ideally within a couple weeks. Never prune a spring bloomer in the fall because the flower buds have already been form within the plant. Fall pruning can be done, and should be if the plant is being moved, but expect to experience a decrease in flowers the following spring.
The more I read about all the different kinds of witch hazels, the more I fall in love with this plant.
There are so many more varieties I would like to talk to you about. If you have any questions you can always call Sabo’s garden center at 440- 466-9523 or email me at Joanna@sabosNursery.com. Thank you I hope you enjoyed this month’s plant.
Joanna’s Journal – Number Two