About the Witch-hazel -
Common :
The Common Witch-Hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, is
extraordinary in its flowering habits. It flowers in
late October to early December. Many times its
slender yellow petals are the only signs of color in
the dormant woods. Witch-hazel is pollinated by the
winter moth. After pollination, the fruits become
dormant for the winter, developing over the
following growing season and maturing in the fall,
10-12 months after pollination.
Seeds are dispersed by gravity, or are eaten and
excreted by birds. Witch-hazel seeds germinate the
following spring or enter the seed bank. Early
growth is slow, and in fact remains slow throughout
the life of the tree in its typical shady habitat.
As individuals, witch-hazel probably does not live
more than 100 years, but they reproduce from root
sprouts, and clones may live for a very long time.
