Hamamelis ....

[Palustris]

Having just read the book again (Thank you Zvone for making me look), I see that there are supposed to be black flowered forms of H. intermedia. Our darkest one is Amethyst which is purple. Not got a picture of it as a rabbit ate it down to a stump last year and it is only just recovering.
The shrubs are very expensive. We were lucky and got ours as small specimens in the sales at Bridgemere a few years back. Even then they were not as cheap as other things in the sale.

[Olga Bondareva]

Olga, is your picture taken today?

No.  October, 6, 2009.

[Maggi Young]

The long feathery flowers of H. virginiana are most attractive.

Eric, the idea of a purple one seems very tempting- I've never seen such a thing but I'll be on the lookout now...... good luck with its recovery post rabbit attack.

[Palustris]

Thanks, the shrub has 2 flowers on it this year. Actually the rabbit in question was the cause of the removal of the Heather Garden and the construction of another Crevice Garden and an attempt at an Alpine Lawn.
Just been out looking and Amethyst is the only one in flower, the others have buds though.

[johnw]

Shockingly good virginianas all.  I have quite a few growing in full sun and have no recollection of them in flower.  Full sun may be a bit of a stretch in the fog zone.

johnw

[JohnLonsdale]

The long feathery flowers of H. virginiana are most attractive.

Eric, the idea of a purple one seems very tempting- I've never seen such a thing but I'll be on the lookout now...... good luck with its recovery post rabbit attack.

Here are pictures of H. virginiana in our garden - http://tinyurl.com/7nlspmm.  Sorry I don't have a picture of the whole shrub - I didn't have the right lens at the time.

A question/observation.  We have about a dozen to 15 witchhazels in the garden and they always flower beautifully.  I noticed in the late fall that some but not all had few flower buds this year. A couple had none at all, instead of thousands.  Did anyone, especially in eastern NA, notice the same thing - was there some quirk in the weather that messed with flower bud set?  We did transition from a hot and dry late spring/early summer into a record wet late summer and fall/early winter.

Thanks,

J.

[Afloden]

A link to an image of Hamamelis vernalis "Amethyst"; https://id3487.securedata.net/fantasticplants/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/Hamamelis%20vernalis%20%27Amethyst%27.jpg

 John,

 I've noticed the same thing down here. I had good flowering last year and so did the native virginiana, but nothing in the wild and only a few flowers on intermedia that already opened and passed. Even vernalis has only a few buds.

 Aaron

[Maggi Young]

A link to an image of Hamamelis vernalis "Amethyst"; https://id3487.securedata.net/fantasticplants/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/Hamamelis%20vernalis%20%27Amethyst%27.jpg

 Aaron

Very nice look to that.  Thanks.

[Hoy]

A link to an image of Hamamelis vernalis "Amethyst"; https://id3487.securedata.net/fantasticplants/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/Hamamelis%20vernalis%20%27Amethyst%27.jpg

 John,

 I've noticed the same thing down here. I had good flowering last year and so did the native virginiana, but nothing in the wild and only a few flowers on intermedia that already opened and passed. Even vernalis has only a few buds.

 Aaron

Never seen 'Amethyst' before. Now I want it in my woodland

[Palustris]

Thanks for the link to Amethyst. Glad to say that ours looks the same colour as that, well the two flowers do.
The National Collection of Hamamelis is not far from us in Albrighton, home of David Austin Roses, but it is only open one weekend under the NGS and we keep missing it.

[Maggi Young]

Following a link to a newspaper article in another thread, I  got sidetracked and came upon this....


Withc Haxels..... Witch Hazels, even!

Pat Edwards
Swallow Hayes, Rectory Road, Albrighton, W. Midlands

The collection is open January 29 from 10am to dusk, with plants and soup for sale. Entry £4. Visits also by appointment (01902 372624)


Sir Harold Hillier Gardens

Jermyns Lane, Ampfield, Romsey, Hants (01794 368787; hants.gov.uk/hilliergardens)

Witch Hazel Nursery

The Granary, Cranbrook Farm, Callaways Lane, Newington, Sittingbourne, Kent (01795 843098; witchhazelnursery.com)

The nursery is wholesale only, but the collection is open Jan 22 and Feb 5, 10am-4pm. Owner Chris Lane wrote the definitive book on hamamelis (Witch Hazels, Timber Press, £25

[zvone]

Hi!

Thank you all for top information.

For acknowledgement send one warmly Hamamelis heart from my garden( filmed 17.1.2012)



Best regards!   zvone

[Rick R.]

And they say it is in every Slovenian...

Wonderful photograph, zvone!

[Rick R.]

Trond,

The three photos of H. virginiana were taken in November.  The shrubs begins bloom in October, before the leaves finish falling, and continue until temperatures go below about -7C (20F).  When the thermometer reads between -2 and -7C (28-20F), flowers shrivel, but rehydrate when the temperature warms.

[johnw]

'Jelena' at a friend's started to open last week. Apparently all her witch-hazels are budded as usual. She sees no decrease in budding which is surprising given the severe lack of sun this past year.

johnw