A unique feature of Hamamelis witch hazel flowers is the ability to curl the petals with the onset of frost. As soon as the temperature rises, the petals straighten again. This adaptive trait enables the witch hazel to bloom frequently from December to March, when other shrubs are in a winter sleep.
Place of cultivation and care
The shrub grows best in sunny and wind-sheltered places, where the ground is light and permeable. Fall is the best time to plant young specimens. Once planted witch hazel does not like any removals, so the position for this shrub must be chosen very carefully.It should be quite spacious, because the plant has a rather loose habit, reaches a height of 3-5 m and grows equally widely. The shrub's qualities are most visible when it grows alone, i.e. as a solitaire. You can plant low ground cover or bulbs under its crown.
Witch hazel does not require fertilizing or cutting shoots. Usually it achieves its funnel-shaped shape by itself.
Worms in containers
Young specimens of these shrubs can be safely grown on the balcony or terrace. Only after a few years will the plants grow so much that they will have to be transplanted into the garden. Shrubs in containers should be provided with a similar position as for witch hazel planted in the ground.
The shrub does not like excess moisture in the substrate, so before planting at the bottom of the pot, a few centimeters of drainage layer of gravel or expanded clay should be laid. The witches do not need too much fertilization, but it is necessary to water them regularly. The cultivars 'Arnold Promise', 'Primavera' and 'Westerstede' are best suited for growing in containers.
