Hamamelis x intermedia 'ORANGE BEAUTY'

It is really funny seeing that a plant, for an unknown reason, is suddenly labeled a POP plant, meaning currently IN FASHION (and what if no longer IN?? dig it out and call for Garden Vogue help to replace it with a new POP star?). Anyway, must say, there is something, and in fact quite a lot, about this witch hazel. It is a garden-origin cross between Asian species h.japonica and h.mollis. Its main features are the flowers that are very precocious - they appear already from mid to late winter, and vivid colours of autumn foliage.

Orange Beauty is another witch hazel variety which competes with all of those orange-coloured ones known so far. Its spider-shaped flowers are quite large and have a unique sweet and spicy perfume. Their colour is like glowing embers – fiery red at the bottom and bright orange and golden yellow at tops of the slender petals. The calyxes, once opened, show deep burgundy red colour. Flowering may begin as early as late January if the winter is mild and sunny, without significant frosts. If the end of winter is too cold, the plant waits for warm and sunny weather and then blooms for as long as 6 weeks. Leaves are similar to hazel, but larger and turn orange and coral red in autumn.

Witch hazel is a beautiful shrub or a small tree of an open vase shape, growing to some 3-4m which is ideal for even a small garden. You can prune young plants but believe me when I say that you can hardly give it a different shape. It is best grown in acid soil, moist but well drained. With hazels will not tolerate lime. Do not prune older plants. Still, you can model them by removing bottom branches to form a denser crown of a more prominent shape. Any cut should be treated with a fungicide. Sunny location or light semi-shade is best. Fully hardy to about -29°C (USDA zone 5) but exposed sites are not recommended.

Last update 22-02-2012