Witch Hazel
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patandchickens
Deeply Rooted
Witchhazel is a pretty common shrub at garden centers and nurseries (i.e. real ones not walmart or home depot).
The most common kind are hybrids such as "Arnold Promise" (probably the most wellknown and arguably the best). They will bloom in late winter/early spring before the leaves are out, and also force well indoors (except that the darn things grow slowly so you can't be cutting TOO much for indoors or you will reduce your poor shrub to nothing!). They're hardy to about, what, USDA zone 5-6 [she says, not bothering to look it up but you should
]
There is also another spring-blooming species, H. vernalis, that I hve no personal experience with; and a late-fall-blooming species H. virginiana that I really like as a native plant but it will never compete with Arnold Promise etc. The fall blooming thing still has its leaves on when it blooms although they will have yellowed, so unfortunately you can't really see the flowers unless you get right up close and stare at the branches. They smell nice though. Especially since usually by this time almost all other trees have lost their leaves for the winter and it's one last little 'first bloom of the year'
Witchhazels don't have any special requirements except a reasonable amount of water and at least part day sun. They are not fast growers.
I am not sure what 'bitterbush' is, although google sez there is a relatively obscure S FL shrub of the name... is it possible you mean "bittersweet"? If so, please read up on it a LOT before buying... most of what's sold is the asiatic bittersweet which is sort of like a northern version of kudzu and a serious invasive problem in many areas. The native american bittersweet is not generally considered suhc a problem, because it IS native, but I have to tell you that it can take over almost as badly as the asiatic can. This is NOT a small polite plant, it can pull down fences and damage trees with its weight, and once you've got it it's hard to get rid of. Mind you I do like the native one and have planted it myself but you have to make sure you know what you're in for
If you mean some other 'bitterbush' could you maybe find its Latin name so we can know what plant you are tlaking about?
Hope this helps,
Pat
The most common kind are hybrids such as "Arnold Promise" (probably the most wellknown and arguably the best). They will bloom in late winter/early spring before the leaves are out, and also force well indoors (except that the darn things grow slowly so you can't be cutting TOO much for indoors or you will reduce your poor shrub to nothing!). They're hardy to about, what, USDA zone 5-6 [she says, not bothering to look it up but you should
]There is also another spring-blooming species, H. vernalis, that I hve no personal experience with; and a late-fall-blooming species H. virginiana that I really like as a native plant but it will never compete with Arnold Promise etc. The fall blooming thing still has its leaves on when it blooms although they will have yellowed, so unfortunately you can't really see the flowers unless you get right up close and stare at the branches. They smell nice though. Especially since usually by this time almost all other trees have lost their leaves for the winter and it's one last little 'first bloom of the year'
Witchhazels don't have any special requirements except a reasonable amount of water and at least part day sun. They are not fast growers.
I am not sure what 'bitterbush' is, although google sez there is a relatively obscure S FL shrub of the name... is it possible you mean "bittersweet"? If so, please read up on it a LOT before buying... most of what's sold is the asiatic bittersweet which is sort of like a northern version of kudzu and a serious invasive problem in many areas. The native american bittersweet is not generally considered suhc a problem, because it IS native, but I have to tell you that it can take over almost as badly as the asiatic can. This is NOT a small polite plant, it can pull down fences and damage trees with its weight, and once you've got it it's hard to get rid of. Mind you I do like the native one and have planted it myself but you have to make sure you know what you're in for
If you mean some other 'bitterbush' could you maybe find its Latin name so we can know what plant you are tlaking about?
Hope this helps,
Pat
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- #3
I bought a witch hazel or it was marked as that, about 10 yrs ago. The reason I say was marked as it has never ever bloomed. Do witch hazels have males or do you need 2 to bloom? It's a nice bush, but with no flowers it's just a bush.
patandchickens
Deeply Rooted
Nope, all witchhazels should bloom. (In fact, even dioecious plants, with separate males and females, all *bloom* - it's just that you don't get *fruits* without both sexes).
My best theory is that it is Hamamelis virginiana which is NOT what most people mean by witchhazel (they mean they hybrid Hamamelis like 'Arnold Promise'). H. virginiana (I assume it has a common name, but dunno what) blooms in the autumn, around the time the leaves are turning yellow. The flowers are smaller than the showy spring-blooming ones, and if you do not look closely you will miss them amongst the senescing leaves. They do smell nice, but you still might not notice it.
So, come October or November depending on where you live, keep a sharp eye on it.
I suppose it is *conceivable* to have a spring-blooming witchhazel, either one of the typical hybrids or H. vernalis, that is in such unhappy shape that it doesn't bloom at all... but I have certainly never seen such a thing and rather doubt it in this case.
Hope this helps (although I realize it won't help for about 6 months, really),
Pat
My best theory is that it is Hamamelis virginiana which is NOT what most people mean by witchhazel (they mean they hybrid Hamamelis like 'Arnold Promise'). H. virginiana (I assume it has a common name, but dunno what) blooms in the autumn, around the time the leaves are turning yellow. The flowers are smaller than the showy spring-blooming ones, and if you do not look closely you will miss them amongst the senescing leaves. They do smell nice, but you still might not notice it.
So, come October or November depending on where you live, keep a sharp eye on it.
I suppose it is *conceivable* to have a spring-blooming witchhazel, either one of the typical hybrids or H. vernalis, that is in such unhappy shape that it doesn't bloom at all... but I have certainly never seen such a thing and rather doubt it in this case.
Hope this helps (although I realize it won't help for about 6 months, really
),Pat
SewingDiva
Garden Ornament
We planted one, and it did really badly - it never thrived and we pulled it out after less than 5 years.
Our mistake, I think, was too plant it too close to large mature trees, and their bigger roots just sucked up all the water.
I think they're really beautiful shrubs - I love the spidery yellow flowers and the leaves turn a nice color in the fall.
~Phyllis
Our mistake, I think, was too plant it too close to large mature trees, and their bigger roots just sucked up all the water.
I think they're really beautiful shrubs - I love the spidery yellow flowers and the leaves turn a nice color in the fall.
~Phyllis
Reinbeau
Deeply Rooted
Depends on what kind of trees you planted them under. Witch hazels are understory subtrees, they belong in the lower layer of a forest. If you planted them near something like a maple, however, that would cause problems - most cultivated maples have extensive surface roots, nothing much will grow beneath them. You'll see witch hazels under oaks, beeches, etc., i.e. a mixed forest.
SewingDiva
Garden Ornament
It was planted under very tall Eastern White Pine.Reinbeau said:
Reinbeau
Deeply Rooted
They have kind of thick surface roots, too, but if you provided enough water it should have been ok. Tall, you say - was the witch hazel in lots of sun? They also need that leafy cover, that's why they grow beneath oaks and beeches - deep roots and leafy cover.
