Also known as Ozark witch hazel, this unique native shrub flowers from late winter into early spring, when little else is blooming in the landscape. The fragrant flowers are clustered or solitary, yellow to dark red in color, and have four strap-like petals that are 1/4″-1/2″ long. The petals curl up on very cold days as an adaptive mechanism to protect them from freeze damage and create quite a show against the gray-brown bark, especially on snowy days! Flowers can persist for 3-4 weeks! A hard woody fruit capsule 1/2″ long splits down a 2-parted tip in Sept.-Oct. Seeds are forced or ‘shot-out’ to a distance of 30′! The seeds and flowers are eaten by turkey and ruffed grouse. Twigs, leaves and bark are the basis of witch hazel extract.

Branch of Hamamelis vernalis. Photo: Carol Davit.