KTRS 550 Inside Out Show Plant of the Week January 22 2011

Ozark Witchhazel : A Magic Moment Maker

by MaryAnn Fink

Conservation Specialist

copyright 2011

This unlikely flowering period is NOT a trick but rather a great winter blooming option!

Sometimes hard to find but easy to appreciate, perhaps the real trick is placement.

Be sure to locate her in the landscape where you can appreciate her sweet confetti like flowers, despite the snow and January’s miserable cold! (It seems I have lost my winter hardiness- cold hurts!)

Although this native shrub does not rely on any secret potion to burst into bloom in the drabbest time of the year, (she does it naturally!), selecting between a cultivar or the straight species for me would be the only “whichy” part!

My best recommendation is to go right now while the sun is shinning and the cold feels almost tolerable to the Missouri Botanical Garden and see for yourself “which” one fits your needs.

Now that there is finally some awareness of this shrub’s durability there is a “ growing interest “ for breeders to work with this species. New hybrid crosses and some selections have brought interesting color variations, even one with somewhat purple foliage.

There is also some bragging rights about flower size and fall color variations. ( so I guess I should recommend another trip in fall if this is important!) Recently a weeping form made it to market. Be sure to take a note pad, pen, map of the Garden and a camera!

There does appear to be some difference in leaf drop as well. Some witch hazels do a better job of showcasing their flowers against clean bare stems but a few have leaves that linger. This makes it difficult to really appreciate the rather small but fun strappy flowers.

If fragrance is an important to you, know that Hamamelis vernalis can have a wonder sweet lemon scent that drifts and hovers in the vicinity of the flowers. I found it easiest to appreciate the delightful fragrance from a short distance in fairly still air. It was nearly impossible to detect with my nose buried in the bush!

Care Factor Rating: 1-2 depending on which form is selected. Ozark witch hazel must be watered regularly till she is established. A moderately slow grower, she maintains her natural branching habit with minimal pruning. Removal of the occasional damaged or dead branch can be done any time of the year.

Because of her look in a natural setting, it might be tempting to want to prune her to encourage a denser branching habit. This seems especially true if in her youth if she appears to be slightly willowy or thinly branched. Use caution, only a light hand is recommended because she is slow growing and usually will develop a naturally dense habit with age if not overcrowded or environmentally challenged.

If over time suckers begin to develop at her base / ground level, consider the space allowance and remove only what is necessary to maintain a visual balance for the space. She is very long lived when well placed and can eventually create a stunning colony if given enough time to mature.

Flowers develop on the old growth so consider only a gently pruning if any soon after flowering to modify her shape. This is best done in the early spring after flowering and before any new growth appears. Usually a conservative approach is recommended.

She is rather newly introduced for use in cultivated space use so placement, applications and pruning management recommendations may differ depending on landscape styles and spaces. At this time there has some creative formative pruning resulting in some espalier forms which will require slightly more pruning management!

All pruning should be delayed till she is past any transplant shock. At that point she may have filled out naturally and not require any pruning. Also remember flowering is likely to be affected with any pruning management approach. As with any shrub, never remove more than 1/3 of the total growth.