Mid- and late winter is made much more exciting with the extremely fragrant, spider-like blossoms of the Chinese witchhazel. A rounded, densely branched deciduous shrub from southeastern China, it is relatively rare to be found in the secondary forests there. The leaves are broadly oval, dull green with fuzzy, gray-green undersides. In autumn, they become a lovely gold or orange-yellow. Upon the bare, brown branches in late winter will be tufts of thin, crinkly yellow petals like look like tiny, short ribbons. The petal bases have touches of rusty orange or orange-red. The sweet, spicy and pungent aroma is magnificent, lifting your spirits on even the chilliest or dreariest of days.
Chinese witchhazel is best grown in a soil with good drainage. It can adapt to acidic, and mildly alkaline soils that are moist and deep, with ample organic compositions. Plant one to soften the corner of a house, to bring late winter excitement to any garden border, or plant in a small grove near a public patio or walkway so the fragrance will be obvious and create smiles. (info source: Learn2Grow.com)
Genus - Hamamelis
Species - Mollis
Common name - Chinese Witchhazel
Pre-Treatment - Required
Hardiness zones - 5 - 8
Height - 10'-30' / 3.0m - 9.1m (15)
Plant type - Shrub
Vegetation type - Deciduous
Exposure - Full Sun, Partial Shade
Growth rate - Slow
Soil PH - Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil type - Clay, loam, well drained
Water requirements - Average Water, drought tolerant
Landscape uses - Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Germination rate - 80%
Bloom season - Winter, Late winter
Leaf / Flower color - Green / Light Yellow, Lemon Yellow, BronzeYellow
Useful Info | |
Germination | 1. Soak seeds in very warm water for 24 hours. 2. Mix with vermiculite or another sterile / clean peat, sand or soil and stratify in the fridge at +2-+4C for 30-60 days. It will increase the germination percentage. 3. Seeds should be planted after the pretreatment in pots and generally grown in them for up to two to three years before they are mature enough to transplant. Flowering does not start until the plants are at least six years old. |