Mt Cuba Center
Morning sunrise illuminates the round garden at Mt. Cuba Center.
Explore the Gardens Virtual Tour Virtual Tour
HOURS

Thanks for a great year! Mt. Cuba Center is closed for general admission for the season and will reopen on April 3, 2024.

An ecological gardening certificate student completes a Native Plants of Fall exam in Mt. Cuba Center's naturalistic gardens.
Ecological Gardening Certificate Learn More Learn More
Program Guide

Classes offered year-round. Learn to garden in harmony with nature, take an art or wellness class, and more!

Carex barrattii
Latest Trial: Carex for the Mid-Atlantic Region Learn More Learn More
Trial Garden

Mt. Cuba Center evaluates native plants and related cultivars for horticultural and ecological value.

Mt. Cuba Center's natural lands pictured at sunset.
Protecting Natural Lands Learn More Learn More
Ecological Land Management

Mt. Cuba conserves and stewards more than 1,000 acres including meadows, forests, streams and riparian corridors.

Two guests walk down the West Slope path in spring at Mt. Cuba Center.
Gift a Membership Gift Guide Gift Guide
MEMBERSHIP

Enjoy unlimited general admission, member discounts, guest passes, and more!

close
Mt Cuba Center
Back to list

Hamamelis virginiana

Native Plants

Common Witch-Hazel

3 Photos


Summary

Just when autumn is nearing an end, Hamamelis virginiana bursts into flower. This multi-stemmed, irregular-spreading small tree that can reach 15-20’ tall, produces masses of bright yellow strap-shaped flowers as leaves are dropping. Common witch-hazel grows best in partial shade to full sun. It prefers slightly acidic well-drained to dry soils where it produces stunning autumn flowering and golden foliage displays. Common witch-hazel is at its best as a border plant, understory companion or a specimen in combination with plants such as Ilex opaca, Kalmia latifolia, Viburnum acerifolium, Polystichum acrostichoides, and Rhododendron periclymenoides.


More Details

  • Plant Type
    shrub, tree 
  • Sun/Shade Conditions
    filtered-shade, full-sun 
  • Foliage Character
    deciduous 
  • Soil Moisture
    average, dry 
  • Flowering Period
    mid-fall
  • Soil PH
    adaptable 
  • Flower Color
    yellow 
  • Summer Foliage Color
    green 
  • Fall Foliage Color
    green, yellow 
  • Fruit/Seed Color
    brown