How to Grow Witch Hazel, a Showy Shrub With Year-Round Color

If you’re looking for fragrant, showy blooms during the cold winter months, you may want to add witch hazel to your planting list. The low-maintenance woody shrub blooms in the fall, putting forth a spicy scent and often holding onto its flowers well into the colder months. Depending on the variety, some witch hazel shrubs can bloom in late winter and continue blooming well into spring.

This unique plant supports over 60 pollinators with its small but spectacular ribbon-like petals, making it a standout in winter gardens. 

Native to the Eastern half of the United States, witch hazel is low-maintenance and can be harvested and used for aesthetic and medicinal care. The ingredient has been long used to treat or manage rashes, razor burns, poison ivy, and insect bites.

Thinking about adding witch hazel plants to your garden? Ahead, our experts explain everything you need to plant, grow, and harvest this pretty bloomer.

When to Plant Witch Hazel

"This very versatile shrub is best planted in the very early spring or fall, says Lynne Holland, a master gardener at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.  While it can be planted in the fall, Holland says witch hazel should not be planted in the ground past October in most areas to ensure a well-developed root system ahead of winter months. 

Where to Plant Witch Hazel

Witch hazel grows well in zones 3 to 8. Plant in full sun or filtered sun in hot weather zones as the plant can suffer from sun scorch. “Planting in an area with clay and organic matter in the soil mimics its forest understory roots,” says Holland. “If amending the soil is called for, you can perform a soil test, then amend the area where the future roots of the plant will be. And, of course, plant this shrub in a place where you can enjoy its winter blooms.

How to Plant Witch Hazel

If you’re planting a shrub from your local garden center or nursery, Holland recommends digging a hole only as deep as the root ball (or pot) and twice as wide. “When planting more than one witch hazel shrub, be sure to plant them 12 to 15 feet apart.” Also, it’s important to remember not to plant anything nearby that will prevent the witch hazel from receiving full sun.

Types of Witch Hazel to Grow

There are a handful of species that range in height and bloom color. Popular varieties include:

• Common witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana): This plant can grow up to 20 feet tall, and its bark extract is used in herbal remedies. Zones 3-8.
• Ozark witch hazel (Hamamelis vernalis): This American witch hazel hosts yellow and red winter blooms from January through April. Zones 4-8.
• H. virginiana 'Little Suzie': This small variety of witch hazel grows to about 5 feet tall and makes a beautiful hedge. Zones: 3-8
• Hamamelis ovalis: Native to the southeastern U.S., big leaf witch hazel features bigger leaves (Similar to hazelnut leaves) and produces red or maroon blooms from December to February. Zones 4-8.
• H. virginiana 'Quasimodo': This Witch hazel variety stands about two to three feet tall producing cherry yellow blooms from Fall to Winter. Zones 4-8.
• H. virginiana 'Arnold Promise': This variety puts forth fragrant light yellow, late-winter red and yellow blooms and blooms with red and yellow and grows 15 to 20 feet tall. Zones 3-9.
  

How to Care for Witch Hazel

Caring for this pretty shrub is easy, especially when planted in the perfect spot.

 Sunlight

Witch hazel thrives in full sun to partial shade. “More sun produces bright flowers but partial shade in hot areas prevents sun scorch,” Holland shares.

 Soil

Witch hazel plants enjoy average to moist soil with good drainage and a little on the acidic side (similar to blueberry bushes) with somewhat moist conditions.

 Water

Aim for 1 1/2 to 2 inches of water per week in the first season and one inch per week after that, says Holland.

 Temperature and Humidity

Moderate humidity conditions are ideal for witch hazel; the shrub doesn’t do well in dry, arid conditions. However, this plant easily grows in a wide range of temperatures from hot to cold in zones 3 to 8.

Fertilization

“A newly planted shrub will not need fertilization for about three years,” says Holland, and as a native plant, it may never need additional fertilization if grown in the right conditions. You can, however, add organic compost throughout the summer, as it will help balance the soil retention and draining ability while adding much-needed life to the soil.

How to Prune Witch Hazel

While pruning isn’t required often for the hardy shrub, an occasional trimming can encourage blooming and allow the plant to maintain a clean shape. Singh recommends pruning in late spring after flowering for the best results.

Step 1: Prune in late spring after flowering.

Step 2: Remove any dead or damaged branches.

Step 3: Thin out crowded areas to promote air circulation.

Step 4: Trim back long branches to maintain shape, cutting just above a leaf node.

How to Harvest Witch Hazel

Whether you want to enjoy the delicate blooms in a vase or make your own witch hazel tincture, Ankit K. Singh, assistant professor at the University of Maine and ornamental horticulture educator, shares how to harvest the shrub correctly.

Step 1: Wait until the plant flowers in late fall or early winter to harvest.

Step 2: Use clean, sharp pruning shears to cut small branches with flowers and bark.

Step 3: Gather and bundle the branches together.  (You can use an elastic band to hold the branches lightly together).

Step 4: Allow the cuttings to dry indoors in a well-ventilated space if using the bark or flowers. If placing them in a vase, remove any foliage that will be in water.

Tips for Growing Witch Hazel in Pots

• Witch hazel can easily thrive in pots for those with limited space. Here, Singh shares helpful tips to keep your witch hazel plant happy in its pot or container.
• Choose a variety that best suits your container/pot.
• Use a large, deep pot with drainage holes.
• Choose a rich, well-draining soil mix.
• Place the pot in partial shade with dappled sunlight.
• Water regularly but avoid waterlogging the soil.
• Repot every few years to prevent root binding.
• Be sure to protect the plant during bitter cold spells by surrounding the pot with straw or pliable insulation.