I think they're lovely when I (rarely) encounter them in the woods. I really don't think I've ever seen one that's 15 feet tall though.

barron.. do you think its the woods.. or growing in the understory.. that limits growth potential ...???

ken

Dunno Ken, never seen it growing in the open :)They look quite happy as understory though.

I have occasionally run across common witch-hazel in the wild and found it to be a pleasant little tree. I’m hoping that in a more open setting it will become a dapper small tree. Wishful thinking? It’s very small, so there’s time to do some judicious pruning. Has anyone done this?

They are native for me and they do make a very small, open tree.

I first came across this tree in Madison with a specimen absolutely glowing in the fall. I'd guess 10' tall and wide.

My 5 footer is somewhat slower growing and not all that dense. I gets at least 6 hours full sun.

I have a Harvest Moon has well but its only 2' tall.

I've tried the hybirds years ago with horrible results. I remember having an amazing looking Arnold Promise and it lasted only 3 years.

H. vernalis typically has a nice vase form as well but its the slowest, smallest of the two discussed above. I have 5 Grape Fizz in 1.5 gallons containers that need a home.

I planted 3 this year but they're still tiny. The local college has one outside a building that is about 12x12. I haven't seen it in flower but it makes a nice landscape shrub.

Will, I have to ask, why do you have five orphan Grape Fizz? A change in plans?

If they really need a home, I would pay for shipment for one (lol), though not really my choice of hamaelis.

Change in plans not the best looking but once they get in a ground will be nice.

As it matures in a garden setting the twigs look too slender and whippy to be in pleasing proportion to the trunks, the flower heads too tiny to be in scale with the rest of the plant also - there are reasons why the vast majority of named selections are all forms of H. x intermedia. Of course, if a body can't get any of these latter to persist but H. virginiana works out for them it is better than nothing.

I’m thinking of adding H. virginiana ’Little Prospect’ to go along with the seedling. They’d be in the same general area, but not next to each other. It originated from a Tennessee nursery, but not sure how long it has been around. Any experience or observations you could share?

I remember when it was selected, which seems to be 10-15 years ago anyway. The Tennessee provenance might give pause to its use in northern Wisconsin, though - unless you have anecdotes for its success thereabouts. I'll go take a look at local examples of 'Little Prospect' in Louisville - but a name like that reminds of the Little Hope Cemetery near Mammoth Cave.

I'll disagree strongly with the characterization of Hamamelis virginiana above - unless that author wants to claim it for northwest North America garden behavior exclusively. Common Witchhazel certainly does NOT behave that way in the Ohio River valley region, nor anywhere else in the eastern US where I've had the pleasure to observe it growing.

This is an eastern North America native species with a wide native range, and - logically - diverse genetics from its various provenance. Common Witchhazel arises from the Gulf and southern Atlantic coastal/Piedmont areas in the south; all the way up the Atlantic coast to Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia; eastward along the northern tier of states to Michigan and Wisconsin; in the Ohio River valley and southern Appalachians to Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee; and a smattering of locations as far west as Missouri, Arkansas/Oklahoma, and Louisiana/Texas.

The grower who selected 'Little Prospect' grows out seedlings as understock for named varieties across the Hamamelis spectrum, but being a plantsman he also pays attention to unusual characteristics in his seedlings and sets aside those worthy of further evaluation.

Here are some specimen Hamamelis virginiana that any gardener could aspire to grow...

Better than nothing, indeed...

Those are some uncommon Common Witchhazels! What is not to like? The cemetery shots are exquisite and I can only hope that mine develops into something close to that.

I’ve located a Georgia-based vendor and will probably go the mail order route for this one. I’ve got to give it a go. Thank you for sharing that.

maackia, please tell us the vender.

The one (native) just across my border stream isn't small -- guess 8 ft x 10 ft, but quite leggy in the heavy shade there.

The vendor is Wilson Bros Gardens. The reviews are mixed and I'll order one plant to test them. They're not inexpensive, but shipping is built into the price.

In the fall color thread, there are several pictures of large specimens in their fall colors. Beautiful!

debra