February Plant of the Month

Hammamalis vernalis – Ozark Witch Hazel

Even on these blustery February days, bright colors can be found in the garden. Ozark Witch Hazel (Hammamelis vernalis) is just starting to open this time of year. As you can see, the sunshine yellow, tendril-like petals are beginning to unfurl on sunny, mid-30s days. These little yellow flowers in the above photo are not yet open to pollinators. Some might wonder what pollinators are flying around in the middle of winter. There has been research suggesting not only that flies and bees can pollinate witch hazels, but there is a specific genus of winter flying moth that may pollinate witch hazels too.

Not only do they flower early in the season, but their flowers can last up to 8 weeks. Lengthy flowering occurs due to the plant’s ability to curl up to protect the flowers when temperatures drop below freezing and curl out on warmer sunny days. This species of witch hazel is native to the highlands of Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma, but also thrives in Massachusetts. Hamamelis vernalis is related to the New England native witch hazel, Common witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). Hamamelis virginiana grows much larger than Hamamelis vernalis and flowers in the fall.

Hamamelis vernalis was first introduced to the horticulture trade by Benjamin Franklin Bush, a plant collector for Charles Sprague Sargent, Arnold Arboretum’s first director. Starting in 1872, the Arnold Arboretum sent plant collectors and botanists all over the world looking for new and unusual plants to add to the newly founded arboretum. Although Bush may not have been the first botanist to collect samples from this species, the specific rooted cutting that was taken from Missouri in 1908 by Bush still resides at the Arnold Arboretum today and was first recorded flowering in January 1913. Bring your snow shoes and come visit our witch hazels, you can find one in front of the mansion and another in full flower down below the Dawn Redwoods.