Hybrid Witchhazel Hamamelis x intermedia
- Phonetic Spelling
- ham-ah-MAY-lis in-ter-MEE-dee-uh
- Description
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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:
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- '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'
- '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
Pronouced Yell-en-AH. Unusual winter flowers that have a sweet fragrance and showy copper color - 'Allgold'
- '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 / 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'
- '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
Pronouced Yell-en-AH. Unusual winter flowers that have a sweet fragrance and showy copper color - 'Allgold'
- 'Allgold', 'Aphrodite', 'Arnold Promise', 'Carmine Red', 'Diane', 'Diane', 'FeurerZauber', 'Girard's Orange', 'Hiltingbury', 'Jelena', 'Moonlight', 'Orange Beauty', 'Primavera', 'Princeton Gold', 'Ruby Glow', 'Sunburst'
- Tags:
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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.
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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
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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
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Orange
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Four parted septum dehiscent capsule.
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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.
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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.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Bark Description:
- smooth, gray to gray-brown
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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.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Hedge
- Screen/Privacy
- Small groups
- Small Tree
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Erosion
