What: Hamamelis intermedia, commonly known as Arnold Promise Witch Hazel, is a vigorous cultivar cherished for its exquisitely fragrant, spidery flowers, which appear just when we need them most: winter. Its branches are upright when young but soon spread widely. It produces large, clear yellow flowers with reddish centers, and it blooms slightly later than other related cultivars. Depending on the weather, its flowers appear on bare branches in about January and remain until early March. Curious seed capsules appear in late summer. Its handsome leaves turn yellow-orange in autumn. The wide shape of witchhazels allows for generous underplantings of companion plants, late-winter-blooming ones for complement or summer-blooming ones to extend the season of interest.
Where: Witchhazels thrive in rich, well-drained soil but will tolerate sand and clay if drainage is adequate. Provide a location with full sun to light or open shade.
Size: Grows to 12 feet tall by 12 feet wide in 10 years.
Care: Regular water during dry weather will encourage the best flowering, but well established plants can tolerate occasional watering. Minimal pruning is needed to maintain its graceful, vase-like form. Beginner pruners should consult an experienced pruner or take local classes before attempting to prune.
— greatplantpicks.org
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