Hamamelis vernalis Ozark Witch Hazel Seeds & Plants

(ham-uh-MEE-lis  ver-NAH-liss)
ham-uh-MAY-lis
 Easyliving Native Perennial Wildflowers
Native Wild flower Seed for Home Landscaping and Prairie Restoration
Limited number of potted plants available $8 each plus shipping

Hamamelis vernalis Ozark Witch Hazel Seed pods Habitat Bloom Period Color Height Feet Moisture Plant Spacing Lifespan
Hamamelis vernalis Ozark Witch Hazel Seeds Picture Full Sun to Part Shade January
March
April		 Yellow with red 6 to 10 feet Average to Moist 4 to 8 feet Shrub

click on picture for larger image 

Hamamelis = From the Greek meaning fruiting and flowering together
vernalis      = Flowering in spring

Hamamelis vernalis Ozark Witch Hazel is an attractive hardy shrub suitable for landscaping.  It has attractive leaves during summer and fragrant showy yellow to red flowers during winter for a short time in January to April.  Seeds mature in September/October, as seeds mature the two part seedpod splits open forcibly discharging the large shinny black seeds to a distance up to 30 feet.  Ozark Witch-hazel is often found growing wild in gravel and rocky streambeds and the base of rocky slopes along streams from Missouri and Arkansas to Oklahoma.  The leaves and shoots are occasionally browsed by deer, bark is eaten by beaver, squirrel, and cottontail rabbits.  Seeds and flowers are eaten by wild turkey and ruffed grouse.  Twigs, leaves, and bark are the basis for witch hazel extract.  

For other flowers visit the wildflower seed list , to order copy orderform or 
email questions, comments, and orders to john@easywildflowers.com
Limited number of potted plants available $8 each plus shipping
Hamamelis vernalis Seeds
Ozark Witch Hazel Seeds

approximate
number of seeds

approximate coverage
in square feet

1 packet -  $ sold out of seeds

 10

1 ounce -  

1 pound - 

USDA Plant hardiness zones 4 to 8

The map below shows areas where Hamamelis vernalis Ozark Witch Hazel plants grow wild but it can be planted and will grow over a much wider area in plant hardiness zones of 4 through 8.  

Hamamelis vernalis
Ozark Witch Hazel 

Missouri
Oklahoma
Texas
Arkansas

Use the chart below for shipping charges on  seeds, to order Hamamelis vernalis Ozark Witch Hazel copy the order form or email questions, comments & orders to john@easywildflowers.com 

please contact us by email with your address for shipping charges & availability on Hamamelis vernalis Ozark Witch Hazel potted plants

We accept payment by check, money order, and through Paypal

The minimum seed order amount is $10, this can be a combination of different seeds.

subtotal for flower seeds 

shipping charge for seeds
seed orders up to  $20.00    =    $3.00 shipping
$20.01 - $50.00    =    $4.00 shipping
$50.01-$100.00    =    $5.00 shipping

over $100.00    =    5 % of subtotal

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Easyliving Wildflowers
PO Box  522
Willow Springs,  Mo.  65793
phone-fax 417-469-2611 

Hamamelis vernalis Ozark Witch Hazel Plant distribution map complements of USDA, NRCS. 2001. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.1
  (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

Hamamelis vernalis Ozark Witch Hazel has showy fragrant flowers that bloom for a short time in Jan/March. 

PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

 

 

Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Best flowering in full sun. Prefers moist, acidic, organically rich soils. Tolerates heavy clay soils. Promptly remove suckers to prevent colonial spread. Prune in spring after flowering to control shape and size.

Ozark witch hazel is a deciduous, winter-blooming, Missouri native shrub with a rounded habit which typically grows 6-10' tall (less frequently to 15') with a somewhat larger spread. Usually occurs in the wild in gravel or rocky stream beds or at the base of rocky slopes along streams. Noted for its extremely early (January to February-March) and lengthy (to 4 weeks) bloom period. Fragrant, globular flower clusters (to 3/4" wide) have variable coloration, but flowers most frequently have yellow petals and reddish inner calyxes. Ovate, dull green leaves (2-5") turn an attractive golden yellow in autumn. Extract obtained from the leaves, bark and stems was formerly used medicinally by native Americans for, inter alia, external treatment of sprains, bruises and inflammations.

Shrub border, native plant or naturalized garden, woodland garden or screen/informal hedge. Good specimen value due to fragrant, late winter flowers and good fall color. Flowering stems can make an attractive winter bouquet.

 

Shrubs , 2-4 m, stoloniferous, with widespreading roots. Leaves often persistent in winter; Flowers appearing in winter on naked branches, distinctly fragrant; calyx often adaxially deep purple; petals reddish or deep red to orange, occasionally yellow, 7-10 mm; staminodes not dilated or slightly so. Capsules 10-15 mm. Seeds 7-9 mm. 2 n = 24.

Flowering winter (Dec-Mar). Gravel bars and rocky stream banks, developing thickets, rarely on wooded hillsides; 100-400 m; Ark., Mo., Okla.

Hamamelis vernalis is restricted to the Ozark Plateau of Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, often in close proximity with the more widespread H . virginiana . It is difficult to explain the restricted occurrence of H . vernalis in the Ozark area, although ancient geology of the area, with predominently Paleozoic rocks, makes it a well-known refugium. Hamamelis vernalis and H . virginiana are sympatric, sometimes growing within 30 m of each other, yet their identity is maintained, and the two species are easily distinguished through a composite of diagnostic characters (J. L. Bradford and D. L. Marsh 1977). Hamamelis vernalis shows an unusual color range of the flowers. Plants growing side by side commonly differ in flower color, varying from orange to deep red or, occasionally, deep yellow. Sometimes flower color varies on the same plant; e.g., petals that are initially deep red can later fade to yellow.

Hamamelis vernalis is not well known in cultivation and is infrequently planted. It is desirable for the fragrance and color variation of the flowers.

 

 

A small tree or large shrub to 15 ft. tall with multiple, crooked stems forming an irregular, open crown. Older stems assume an attractive gray to grayish-brown color. Its flowers, the first of anything to bloom, are yellow to red, four-petaled and 1/2 in. long. To avoid freeze damage, the petals roll up on very cold days. Fall color develops late and is an attractive golden-yellow.Gravelly to clay soils.

Conditions Comments: Very flood tolerant. More tolerant of high pH than H. virginiana. Will sucker and form large colonies. Slow-growing and tolerates pruning quite well.

Seeds sown immediately after collection will be exposed to a period of warm temperatures to complete after-ripening. Pretreated seed must be double-stratified seed. Witch hazel can be layered from new wood. Rooted cuttings supposedly come easier from
Seed Collection: Pick fruits from late August to September before they completely dry. Spread to dry so seeds can be removed from fruit capsules. Seeds can be stored in sealed, refrigerated containers or directly stratified over winter in moist sand and peat at 41 degrees.
Seed Treatment: Stratify at 86 degrees for 60 days followed by 41 degrees for 90 days.
Commercially Avail: yes