People often ask me what are some pretty small trees or under story trees that are pretty all year. The usual are dogwood, redbud, Japanese maple, etc. Now I tell them witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), another pretty little native tree that has become a favorite of mine. I have a shady yard, and this little tree is perfectly happy. I have three and love each one. They grow into a pretty shape, about 15 to 20 feet tall and more than 10 feet wide. After 15 years, mine are only about 12 to 15 feet tall. They have an airy appearance, and as you can see, give breath-taking fall color. Every morning I look out my bedroom window to see this bright sunny little tree. It gives me a happy start.

Witch hazel blooms in fall, when the leaves are bright yellow-gold, so you can walk right by and not see flowers. What a shame, too, for the spidery like blooms are lovely to see. As you walk up near the tree, you will notice a lovely but light aroma.

They are so easy to grow. I have dry sandy loam that is full of tree roots, very hard to water during dry times, but these little trees flourish here. I don’t know if they would work as well in full sun, but I doubt it since they are woodland trees. I have seen them grow tall and gangly in deep woods, but with just dappled sun they shape up beautifully.

My first experience with witch hazel was in Louisiana. A friend and I were walking along a creek in a beautiful forest when, pow, something would hit us. We got pelted several minutes before discovering the source. There were witch hazels growing there, and in early spring is when they shoot their seeds out in every direction. My witch hazels have lots of seeds, but I only get a few seedlings, so they are not a nuisance at all. I can usually find someone to give them to.

Virginiana is one of our witch hazels. The other is Hamamelis vernalis, or spring blooming witch hazel, better known as Ozark witch hazel. There are many hybrids and crosses with our native varieties and Japanese and other varieties. Some have really beautiful blooms, and I hope one day to come across one to add to my woodland.

Witch hazel has been used for eons of time as an astringent. The bark and roots are the source of the Witch Hazel that you see bottled up in stores — OJ’s Beauty Lotion, for the youngsters out there, OJ’s was used by many of our mothers and grandmothers as a complexion lotion. A study of the many and varied uses of witch hazel is very interesting and well worth your time if, like me, you enjoy studying the “old ways.”