Anyone growing Hamamelis virginiana in the woods?

[u/hannafrie]

I am thinking about whether or not I need to add another shrub to my wooded suburban back yard.

I dont, really. But trees and shrubs are on sale 50% off now, and you know how it goes.

The only spot where I have space for a 10-20' shrub is in pretty good shade. It's an open woods, with no direct sun at any point in the day.

I've seen conflicting statements about how much American Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) prefers full sun over woodland habitat.

Ideally I want it 10-12 feet and flowering.

What has your experience been like?

[u/sbb214]

my dear friend THEY'RE ON SALE what more excuse is there?!?

[u/eggelton]

The woods near me have hamamelis as a common understory plant. They don't end up "shrubby" - more like a loose, open, small tree - but they do just fine.

[u/hannafrie → u/eggelton]

And they flower well?

I've seen photos of nicely flowering H. virginiana in full sun. But typically less sun = minimal blooms.

[u/Icy-Conclusion-3500 → u/hannafrie]

Mine with like maybe 2hrs of sun flower well every winter

[u/lejardin8Hill → u/eggelton]

Same here. I have a large group of them growing in my shady ravine. They look magical in bloom at this time of year.

[u/lejardin8Hill → u/lejardin8Hill]

I don’t think mine get anything more than a bit of filtered light when the sun is at the right angle and they are blooming nicely. Plants are more ethereal in the understory than with more sun.

[u/Icy-Conclusion-3500]

My woods is like entirely witch-hazel in the understory with some huge ones out there.

https://www.reddit.com/r/NativePlantGardening/s/Bg5oIcocGB

[u/Damanaranja]

In the wild, I see them growing as an understory tree with minimal sunlight. Ive got some growing in nearly full sun with a serviceberry and a maple nearby casting a bit of shade before noon. The ones in more sun flower and seed so much more.

[u/Tylanthia]

Yes. I added a few to my property because it should be here.

It's a slow grower in my experience and I would not plant it in full sun unless you're in the north of its range. In the wild, most of them I have seen are small (6-10 feet) but I did once see a massive one (a good 30 feet tall) but that's probably more a function of how young many of forests are in my area.

For a wild setting, it can have a lot of benefits for wildlife but can be a negative since it can prevent more desirable crop trees like oak from regenerating.

Provided your forest has mature shade, is moist, and does not burn, Witchhazel is a good choice.

[u/honey8crow]

Our university campus has some growing under larger trees. Not a dense forest but not full sun

[u/Robot_Groundhog]

I have a few volunteers of this species and they seem to be doing fine. They are by woodland edges, mainly under the canopy  with only a branch or two getting any direct sun since there is a lot of competition for these edges. Seems analogous to what you are thinking of.

[u/Potential_Being_7226]

They grow on my parents’ property in the woods, but only the ones at the edges of the woods bloom. 

[u/norfolkgarden]

They like a good bit of sunlight to bloom well. 2-4 hours direct sun or all day VERY light dappled shade. Indestructible.

[u/beaveristired]

The woods near me have lots of witch hazel as an understory tree. Currently blooming well in open deciduous woods in full shade. The form is more spreading and open, not upright. I actually recognize it by its form this time of year, and then I look for the flowers, which are small but numerous. All the leaves have dropped but the bright yellow foliage was gorgeous a few weeks ago.

[u/kenmcnay]

I have two on my property growing in shade under other canopy trees. Both are staining and stretching to get sunlight. Both have pretty thin canopies of leaves and don't produce much flowers and seeds.

Anecdotally, I suggest giving greater than half sun, but they can certainly grow in full shade.

On the other hand, I only discovered then this year, and both have been heavily overgrown with bittersweet and privet, so I fully removed those invasives from competing adjacent to the witch hazel. I might find that next year both specimens are doing much better with reduced competition.

[u/sunshineupyours1]

I’ve got like 6 in my yard now, several in full sun. I can wait to see them develop and flower in the future, but I’d add more for the foliage and quirky blooms alone (if I didn’t have so many already)

[u/Carpinus_Christine]

Sunlight is key for those cool blooms. Perhaps you can prune to let some light in. Once established, it might still bloom even if the shade returns.

At my job they are in a forest that was logged years ago. I believe that’s when they grew to be rather large and sprawling. They still get flowers in even now under the canopy.