Have you been out in your garden yet to smell the flowers? That may seem a strange question, after all, much of the snow has just recently melted.
Still, I hope to bring you ideas you may never have considered trying in your own backyard.
As I discuss the beautiful plant Witch Hazel, I hope that you may find a spot in your own garden for some of the smaller varieties.
A reader and grower in town told me recently that people coming into the greenhouse have smelled some of the wonderful scents of the witch-hazel they have in the doorway of their greenhouse.
No doubt that the plants were loaded with flowers.
Unfortunately, I didn’t smell anything. This lack of scent is what I expected with the cooler, gray day when I was there to talk to her.
This year, when you plan your home’s landscaping, I strongly recommend including a Witch Hazel. You will thank me for the idea.
If you have a warm sunny day, smell the flowers.
Some time ago, I attended a Master Gardener Zoom meeting about the tall shrub or small tree, Witch Hazel or (Hamamelis).
I have used many interesting plants in my designs over the years. There are a number of varieties with serious hot colors: purple, red, orange, and yellow, and many shades in-between.
The scents range from none to being subdued to strong enough, with a marvelous scent that encourages you to get out your parka and boots and enjoy it on a sunny, warm day.
Be aware that on really cool days, you will not see this flower in bloom, because it will remain in its case. Smart right?
As the day continues to cool, it will also return to its case. If you enjoy your pollinators, you will have to get one of these Witch Hazel plants.
When the warm days come in the late Autumn and middle of Winter, and these plants are in bloom, you will find that there may be no other shrubs or plants in bloom to provide pollen for these insects.
The key pollinators of witch-hazel are winter-surviving insects such as flies, moths, and wasps.
Hardy Owlet moths pollinate Witch Hazel. The scent attracts insects to the pollen. Witch Hazels will be a busy place with these pollinators you may not recognize.
You will not regret planting the cultivars Xintermedia Amethyst, Arnolds Promise, Palida, or Jelena, or the Common Witch Hazel.
For me, the leaves are one of the greatest benefits of growing this plant. Leaves can range from yellow to orange to red and purple in the fall. One challenge is that the leaves seem to stay on the plant for a long time.
Sometimes the old leaves will cover the new blooms. I do consider Witch Hazel a four season plant with four seasons of interest.
My experience of growing Common Witch Hazel taught me that it’s easy to grow. I sited my Witch Hazel under some trees and other plants.
This is a forgiving plant. It will be a good-looking plant even if you neglect pruning it.
A healthy Witch Hazel tree grows from 20 to 30 feet tall. My shrub grew only 10 feet. I have not noticed any unusual insects or diseases in my walks that would have indicated that my Witch Hazel was sick.
So, what I can tell you from the 20-plus years of experience is that Witch Hazel is a tough plant. Witch Hazel will live its life, providing you with these long petals for many years after planting.
From my experience and what I have read, the only challenge is a little aphid that seems to appear when you have the Witch Hazel near birch trees. The aphid will pierce one of the veins, and the leaf will develop a tiny cone, which is called a gall.
The scientific name of the insect is Witch Hazel Cone Gall (Hormaphis hamamelidis).
Vernal Witch Hazel and Common Witch Hazel are both native plants that are mostly grown in the eastern United States and Canada. You will find these two plants from Canada to
Georgia and from the Atlantic to Arkansas and Nebraska.
These plants prefer a moist soil, avoiding dry conditions, grow in partial shade to full sun, and can endure most urban conditions. This is an important reason why I have recommended growing this plant.
I hope you have a great stroll through your garden this week, and if you have a chance to see some flowers in bloom, you need to check them out.
If you have a gardening challenge, drop me an e-mail at ericlarson546@yahoo.com.