Witchy Things

Our native witch hazel (Hamamelis virginica) has such spidery looking flowers that blend in well with all the autumn leaves that they are easy to overlook. Plus, they hug the twigs and branches closely.

They have a 2 year reproductive life: 1-2 seeds remain in a brown capsule all through the winter in a dormant phase, and then get ejected 20-30 feet from the parent tree the following summer/fall. It then takes another year before they germinate.

The unique combination of fruits and flowers on the same tree at the same time is apparently described by the Latin name Hama (Hamamelis), meaning 'at the same time,' and melis/melon for fruit.

This delicate looking flower is pollinated by moths, and the plant tolerates browsing by deer.