Witch hazels brighten winter garden
GARDENING
I headed out on Family Day to check on the witch hazel trees (Hamamelis) at Niagara Parks Botanical Garden in the hopes of finding them in flower. I wasn’t disappointed.
This has become an annual trek. Every winter I head out in search of the first witch hazel flowers, in some years the trees begin flowering while the snow is still on the ground. With this week’s balmy weather, there wasn’t a trace of snow and the Chinese witch hazel (Hamamelis mollis) was in full bloom; the later blooming hybrids were just starting to bloom.
To satisfy my own curiosity, I checked my files to see how the timing of this years’ flowers measures up to previous years. I found the witch hazels in flower on Feb. 28 in 2016, and nearly a month later, March 21 in 2015 and March 10 in 2013.
This year’s blooms appear to be the earliest that I’ve seen, but my findings are not scientific. I head out arbitrarily when the spirit moves me, basically when I’m in need of a little spring colour. I even stopped by the witch hazels during a mild spell in the middle of last January, with the hopes of finding the earliest blooms ever, but to no avail. If nothing else, my findings confirm our unpredictable weather.
For novice gardeners, or even more experienced gardeners who might be in need of some early spring colour in their garden plans, let’s take a closer look at spring-flowering witch hazels.
Chinese witch hazel is the earliest of the witch hazels to bloom, usually mid-February to early March here in Niagara; flowers are very hardy and last a month or more. The Chinese witch hazel is a large, deciduous shrub or small tree that will reach three to five metres in height with a similar spread. Long, wiry, yellow petals with a spot of red at the base radiate from a velvety rust-coloured calyx cups; the flowers are clustered along the bare, greybrown stems. The flowers are said to be very fragrant, but I’ve rarely picked up a hint of the fragrance on any of my visits.
The Chinese witch hazel flowers best in full sun, although it is quite content to grow in partial shade in average, well-drained soils. Consistent moisture is best, the shrubs will accept clay soils so long as there is adequate drainage. They are relatively free of insect and disease problems, and offer soft yellow leaves to the autumn palette. The shrubs have a tendency to form a colony by suckering; promptly remove suckers as they appear.
Hamamelis x intermedia hybrids are crosses between Japanese and Chinese witch hazels. They typically have a loosely-branched form and will reach three to six metres tall and wide. Their spidery, sometimes fragrant, late winter flowers line the bare stems well before any leaves appear. The shrubs offer interesting fall foliage in shades of yellow, orange and red.
‘Arnold Promise’ is an upright, vase-shaped cultivar with a spreading habit. Reaching four metres in height, it is an attractive specimen tree for a suburban garden. ‘Arnold Promise’ offers sweetly fragrant flowers and later bloom than most of the other intemedia cultivars. The crinkled, ribbon-like petals were just beginning to open on Monday when I visited the gardens. A velvety orange-red calyx punctuates the centre of each blossom. The leaves turn attractive shades of yellow-orange in the autumn. ‘Arnold Promise’ witch hazels are planted on the west facing side of the butterfly conservatory.
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Westerstede’ is a yellow-flowered form with upright branching. This shrub will typically reach heights of three metres. The winter-blooming, mildly fragrant, yellow flowers have four, narrow, ribbon-like petals that start out tightly coiled and unfurl as they mature. Clusters of these flowers bloom along the stems any time from mid-February to the end of March. Bright yellow fall foliage brightens the autumn border. Westerstede witch hazels are flowering now beside the landscaped pond at the botanical gardens.
As I headed out to my car, the bright red buds of Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Carmine Red’ caught my eye. Located in the arboretum, this small tree will soon be covered with light red flowers. Carmine Red will reach a height of 3.5 metres and has mildly fragrant red flowers.
Witch hazels like moisture in summer; summer leaf scorch is a symptom of drought. A generous layer of mulch can help to retain moisture and prevent the roots from drying out. Plant young shrubs in the early spring, be sure to allow plenty of elbow room. Pruning, if necessary, should be done right after blooming to avoid damaging next year’s crop of flowers.
Early blooming witch hazels are a valuable food source for bees, flies, butterflies and moths. When conditions are favourable, the flowers can last from four to six weeks. The cut branches make welcome bouquets for the winter and early spring table. — Theresa Forte is a local garden writer, photographer and speaker. You can reach her by calling 905-351-7540 or by email at theresa_forte@sympatico.ca.