Plant DetailShow Menu

Hamamelis x intermedia

Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
ham-ah-MAY-lis in-ter-MEE-dee-uh
Description

This shrub or small tree is an artificial hybrid between H. japonica and H. mollis which has many attractive cultivars available. It is an upright or wide-spreading tree, not densely branched but with multiple stems. Plant in the full sun to partial shade,  in moist, fertile, well-drained acidic soil.  This shrub needs space to grow and should not be crowded.

Depending on the cultivar, the blooms are fragrant and yellow to orange or red and appear in winter or early spring before new leaves emerge. Fall leaf color is yellow to red, depending on the cultivar. Fall eaves may turn brown but not drop, which detracts from the floral display.

Plant in small groups as a specimen planted in a shrub border, as a hedge or screen, in a woodland or winter garden. The plant does tolerate pruning, but keep in mind that flowers will appear on old growth.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  This hybrid Witch Hazel is generally problem-free with respect to insects and diseases. Caterpillars, Japanese beetles, leaf gall aphids, weevils, scale, leafroller, and leafminer are occasional insect pests.  Powdery mildew, occasional leaf spots, and rots are diseases to watch for.

 

Quick ID Hints:

  • wedge-shaped leaves, serrated on top half, 5-8 vein pairs, base oblique 
  • showy, spider-like late winter flowers in red or yellow
  • petals ligulate

VIDEO created by Ryan Contreras for “Landscape Plant Materials I:  Deciduous Hardwoods and Conifers or Landscape Plant Materials II:  Spring Flowering Trees and Shrubs” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University

Profile Video:
See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Allgold'
    yellow flowers with reddish-purple calyx
  • 'Aphrodite'
    orange to copper red flowers which are not fragrant. Leaves turn reddish in fall.
  • 'Arnold Promise'
    Large shrub, bright yellow blooms that have a reddish base, blooms later than other cultivars.
  • 'Carmine Red'
  • 'Diane'
  • 'Diane'
    Copper-red flowers in early spring; fall color is red, yellow and orange.
  • 'FeurerZauber'
    Mildly fragrant red flowers with purple-red calyx, leaves are orange-red in fall. ('Magic Fire', 'Fire Charm')
  • 'Girard's Orange'
    Fragrant, orange flowers are produced on a vigorous, fast-growing plant.
  • 'Hiltingbury'
    Flowers orange-red and purple, fall foliage color orange and red.
  • 'Jelena' Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jelena'
    Pronouced Yell-en-AH. Unusual winter flowers that have a sweet fragrance and showy copper color
  • 'Moonlight'
    fragrant yellow flowers with deep red calyx, leaves are yellow in fall
  • 'Orange Beauty'
    mildly fragrant, deep yellow to orange-yellow flowers. leaves are yellow, orange and red in fall
  • 'Primavera'
    Very fragrant, abundant yellow blooms with a reddish base, flowers early and has yellow fall color.
  • 'Princeton Gold'
  • 'Ruby Glow'
    flowers are deep coppery-red to red-brown, but lack fragrance, fall color is orange-red
  • 'Sunburst'
    abundant blooms of intense yellow
'Allgold', 'Aphrodite', 'Arnold Promise', 'Carmine Red', 'Diane', 'Diane', 'FeurerZauber', 'Girard's Orange', 'Hiltingbury', 'Jelena', 'Moonlight', 'Orange Beauty', 'Primavera', 'Princeton Gold', 'Ruby Glow', 'Sunburst'
Tags:
#cultivars#showy flowers#deciduous#small tree#full sun tolerant#fragrant flowers#red flowers#orange flowers#low maintenance#winter interest#fall interest#erosion control#year-round interest#well-drained soil#multistemmed#large shrub#spreading#long-lasting flowers#gold flowers#deer resistant#hybrids#rounded#acidic soils tolerant#fantz#winter flowers#partial shade tolerant#flowers late winter#flowers mid-winter#landscape plant sleuths course#woodland#cpp
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Allgold'
    yellow flowers with reddish-purple calyx
  • 'Aphrodite'
    orange to copper red flowers which are not fragrant. Leaves turn reddish in fall.
  • 'Arnold Promise'
    Large shrub, bright yellow blooms that have a reddish base, blooms later than other cultivars.
  • 'Carmine Red'
  • 'Diane'
  • 'Diane'
    Copper-red flowers in early spring; fall color is red, yellow and orange.
  • 'FeurerZauber'
    Mildly fragrant red flowers with purple-red calyx, leaves are orange-red in fall. ('Magic Fire', 'Fire Charm')
  • 'Girard's Orange'
    Fragrant, orange flowers are produced on a vigorous, fast-growing plant.
  • 'Hiltingbury'
    Flowers orange-red and purple, fall foliage color orange and red.
  • 'Jelena' Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jelena'
    Pronouced Yell-en-AH. Unusual winter flowers that have a sweet fragrance and showy copper color
  • 'Moonlight'
    fragrant yellow flowers with deep red calyx, leaves are yellow in fall
  • 'Orange Beauty'
    mildly fragrant, deep yellow to orange-yellow flowers. leaves are yellow, orange and red in fall
  • 'Primavera'
    Very fragrant, abundant yellow blooms with a reddish base, flowers early and has yellow fall color.
  • 'Princeton Gold'
  • 'Ruby Glow'
    flowers are deep coppery-red to red-brown, but lack fragrance, fall color is orange-red
  • 'Sunburst'
    abundant blooms of intense yellow
'Allgold', 'Aphrodite', 'Arnold Promise', 'Carmine Red', 'Diane', 'Diane', 'FeurerZauber', 'Girard's Orange', 'Hiltingbury', 'Jelena', 'Moonlight', 'Orange Beauty', 'Primavera', 'Princeton Gold', 'Ruby Glow', 'Sunburst'
Tags:
#cultivars#showy flowers#deciduous#small tree#full sun tolerant#fragrant flowers#red flowers#orange flowers#low maintenance#winter interest#fall interest#erosion control#year-round interest#well-drained soil#multistemmed#large shrub#spreading#long-lasting flowers#gold flowers#deer resistant#hybrids#rounded#acidic soils tolerant#fantz#winter flowers#partial shade tolerant#flowers late winter#flowers mid-winter#landscape plant sleuths course#woodland#cpp
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Hamamelis
    Family:
    Hamamelidaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Grafting
    Dimensions:
    Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Perennial
    Shrub
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Erect
    Multi-stemmed
    Open
    Rounded
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Slow
    Maintenance:
    Low
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    High Organic Matter
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Occasionally Wet
    Available Space To Plant:
    6-feet-12 feet
    12-24 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Orange
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Fruit Description:
    Four parted septum dehiscent capsule.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Gold/Yellow
    Orange
    Red/Burgundy
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Cyme
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Long-lasting
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Winter
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    1-3 inches
    Flower Description:
    4 long, narrow spidery petals; slender, twisted, spider-like. Flowers open early, late January to March and may open and close dependent on weather conditions. Colors range from yellow to red, depending on cultivar, slightly fragrant, persistent, showy.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Soft
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Orange
    Red/Burgundy
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Obovate
    Orbicular
    Ovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Somewhat rounded, acuminate tip, a downy, gray-green in summer. Alternate, simple, 2-4" long, wedge shaped, dark green above, pale green and pubescent below, ovate to obovate, 5-8 vein pairs, serrated on top half, base oblique.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Light Brown
    Light Gray
    Bark Description:
    smooth, gray to gray-brown
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Gray/Silver
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Surface:
    Smooth (glabrous)
    Stem Description:
    Slender, gray-brown, smooth, some reddish lenticels. Leaf bud is naked, looks like a small, folded leaf; flower bud is stalked, clustered and round.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Winter Garden
    Design Feature:
    Hedge
    Screen/Privacy
    Small groups
    Small Tree
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Erosion