WITCH ONE?

THE witch hazels – unrelated to hazel (Corylus) and witches – are providing a lovely splash of winter colour now. The fragrant, spidery flowers are in all their glory as they appear before the leaves and are slender stems that are also lovely in a vase indoors.

The name witch hazel is derived from “wice” or “wiche”, which means pliant or bendable. Along with the hazel (Corylus), it is considered to be a good choice for dowsing or divining.

The Hamamelis group is good value for money, with different varieties providing numerous blossom colours and size options, even for the smaller gardens. As well as the heartening winter displays, most varieties provide another splash of colour in autumn when their leaves change colour before falling.

Hamamelis mollis is the original form of the tree, whereas the Hamamelis x intermedias are hybrids, a cross between the japonica (Japanese witch hazel) and mollis (Chinese witch hazel) – think of them as “intermediates” between the parents. But don’t be put off by the technical stuff, just check the descriptions carefully to make sure it’s suitable for your plot.

Hamamellis x intermedias have some lovely coloured flowers. “Strawberries and Cream” has pale yellow and soft red blooms. “Diane” has unusual, copper-red flowers with a light scent. The leaves turn a dramatic shade of yellow in winter. “Aphrodite” has slightly crimped, orange-red, strongly scented flowers. The leaves turn an intense red before falling in autumn. “Magic Fire” and “Firecracker” produce fiery red flowers that will brighten up your winter garden. Hamamelis mollis “Goldcrest” is a Chinese witch hazel with large, golden-yellow flowers tinged with maroon. They have a strong, sweet scent. Do check the growth habit and eventual size, though – don’t be swayed just by the colour of the flowers.

While blooming in the winter obviously makes the flowers vulnerable to frost damage, the super-clever, spidery flowers just curl up in really cold weather to prevent being “scorched”. Proof that being smart is more conducive to longevity than being pretty.