Hamamelis.
GARDENINGFEBRUARY can be a dull, dour, old month but the blessing is it’s the shortest.
It is time to plan and sow many things but outside there is little cheer.
The other day, I was asked for a shrub which would brighten dull days and one is hamamelis, better known as witch hazel, the bruise balm.
The flowers and fragrance of hamamelis emerge from the jaws of winter and are welcome proof spring is on its way.
Hamamelis x intermedia is a great species for the garden, bringing the excitement of flowers in February, with the added bonus of fragrance.
This shrub bears mostly golden or yellow flowers, mainly in mid to late winter.
Allgold is always popular, with its yellow flowers, as is arnold promise, with its larger ones.
Pallida and sunburst are also fabulous.
Hamamelis x intermedia is a medium to large shrub, which can reach up to 4m in height and spread at maturity.
Sunburst is a little more compact, at 2.5m, making it the perfect choice if space is limited.
Other hamamelis also flower now, including varieties of hamamelis mollis (Chinese witch hazel), which again bears yellow flowers, or hamamelis vernalis (Ozark witch hazel), which bears flowers in a range of colours from yellow through to orange and red-tinged.
Hamamelis can bring a carnival flavour to our gardens at what appears to be a dormant time. They tolerate a range of soils, from acid to neutral. Put them in a sheltered spot and get the added benefit of fragrances accumulating. But they do like to have plenty of light.
l Did you know? hamamelis is known in the United States as snapping hazel, because the fruits can pop open with a snapping sound?