Hamamelis Virginiana, Witch Hazel Identification Fact Sheet

This is the tree, shrub, and vine identification project fact sheet for Hamamelis Virginiana, Witch Hazel. This fact sheet may not be copied in part or in whole and submitted as one's own project, but may be cited as a source of facts during one's own research. See tree, shrub, and vine identification project main page for links to other plants, and Native Trees and Shrubs slideshow for pictures.

Plant Botanical Name: Hamamelis Virginiana

Common Name: Witch Hazel

Family Name: Hamamelidaceae

Plant is Native to What Country: Eastern and central US

Plant Height at Maturity: 20 feet tall and wide

Plant Habit and Form: Small decidudous tree, often multi-stemmed. Irregular and bsomewhat rounded outline. Plant growth is somewhat open.

Foliage: Leaves obovate to elliptical with coarsely toothed margins, arranged alternately on the stems. Leaves 3-6″ long and 2-4″ wide. Green in summer turning yellow in fall.

Bark: Bark gray, remaining smooth on older stems.

Flower: Flowers yellow, blooming in October to November after the leaves drop.

Fruit/Seed: Fruit a capsule, 0.5″ long. Capsules mature in a year. Seeds are ejected from the capsules the following fall.

Growing Requirements: Plants occur naturally in open areas as well as in the forest understory. Plants tolerate shade and grow best in full sun to partial shade and like a moist, acidic soil. Plants tolerate some pollution.

Problems and Drawbacks: Eriopyid aphids cause horned gall on the foliage. Plants get large and are not for small areas in the landscape.

Special Uses: Plants are grown for their fall foliage and fall flower. Plants grow in shadier areas where other bushes won't grow.

ID Tips/Remarks: Leaves are uneven at the base.

Bibliography: http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/h/hamvir/hamvir1.html, http://www.plants.usda.gov/java/charProfile?symbol=HAVI4, http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/hamvir/all.html