Hamamelis plants (witch hazel)
Hamamelis is a hardy, undemanding shrub grown for its winter flowers, perfect for adding colour and interest to the garden when little else is in bloom. It produces distinctive, showy, spidery flowers in fiery shades of reds, oranges and yellows for many weeks between December and late February. Produced on bare, architectural stems, these are scented with a citrus perfume, making the branches valuable for cutting for indoor decoration or to incorporate into flower arrangements. Large, hazel-like foliage appears after the flowers have faded, providing attractive autumn colour as the leaves become a cloak of orange and purple in the autumn. Commonly known as witch hazel, the slightly oriental appearance of hamamelis makes them well suited to Japanese gardens, grown as a specimen in a large, open space. Hamamelis Diane is slightly earlier flowering than the other varieties whilst Hamamelis Pallida offers beautiful yellow flowers. They prefer a netural to slightly acidic soil with plenty of well-rotted organic matter.