Grow witch hazel in moist, well-drained soil, in sun or light shade. Witch hazel is Hamamelis — the shrub, not the astringent in the bottle.
Give it moist, well-drained soil and sun or light shade
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Sun | Full sun to light shade; more sun for a heavier bloom | Do not site it in deep shade |
| Soil | Moist, well-drained ground with organic matter; slightly acid is ideal | Do not plant on a dry ridge or in a ponded crown |
| Water | Regular water the first two summers; keep established plants from baking dry in heat | Do not let the root zone go bone-dry in July |
| Deer | Usually left alone once it is established | Do not treat a young plant as deer-proof |
Witch hazel is a woodland-edge shrub. Light shade is fine; full shade is not. Full sun packs more flowers and a denser outline. [1] Moist, well-drained, slightly acid soil is the usual bed — the same kind of ground as azaleas, not a soggy low spot. [2] A winter hybrid such as Arnold Promise wants that same moisture. The fall native Virginian does too. Match kind on Types of Witch Hazel.
Does witch hazel need full sun?
It grows in sun or light shade. Full sun gives more flowers. Deep shade makes a thin plant with a weak bloom.
Will witch hazel grow in shade?
Light or part shade is fine. Full shade cuts bloom and opens the outline. Give it at least a few hours of sun.
Will deer eat witch hazel?
Deer usually leave it alone, but they will browse a young plant if the herd is hungry. Protect new shrubs until they settle.
Water until it is established, then keep summer soil from baking dry
New plants need regular water for two growing seasons. Once roots take, the shrub still needs a soak if summer soil bakes dry — especially in full sun. [3]
- Soak after planting, and keep the root ball moist through the first two summers.
- Water in a long dry spell. Do not wait for the leaves to wilt in July heat.
- Mulch the root zone, and keep the mulch off the stem so the bark stays dry.
- Do not leave the crown in a puddle. Moist is the aim, not standing water.
How often should I water witch hazel?
Keep a new plant moist for two seasons. Then water in drought, especially in summer. Do not leave the crown in standing water.
Grow a compact kind in a draining pot
Open ground is the usual home. A compact kind such as Savill Starlight can sit in a large pot for a few years if the mix stays moist and drains.
- Choose a named compact kind, not a 20-foot native in a tub.
- Use a pot with drainage holes, a few inches wider than the root ball.
- Fill with a moist, well-drained potting mix. Add bark or perlite if the mix stays wet.
- Water when the top of the mix is drying. Empty the saucer so the crown does not sit wet.
- Protect the pot from a hard freeze, then plant it out when you have room.
Plant in early spring or fall, and leave the graft union above the soil
Most named winter hybrids are grafted onto common witch hazel. Burying that swelling invites suckers and rot. Give the plant room to the mature width — these are large shrubs, not a 4-foot foundation plant. Once it is in the ground, cut after the flowers fade on Pruning Witch Hazel.
- Plant in early spring or fall while the soil is workable. Do not dig and move an established plant if you can buy a new one instead. [4]
- Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and about twice as wide.
- Set the ball at the same depth as the nursery pot. Leave the graft swelling above the soil.
- Space shrubs 12 to 15 feet apart, measured to the mature spread, not the pot. Common witch hazel can run larger.
- Backfill, firm, and water in. Mulch the root zone and keep it off the stem.
How far apart should I plant witch hazel?
Leave 12 to 15 feet between plants. Common witch hazel can run larger; Ozark kinds stay somewhat smaller.
Not winter hazel, and not Chinese fringe flower
Winter hazel is Corylopsis — hanging yellow bells in early spring, not spider ribbons. That job is on How to Grow Winter Hazel. Chinese fringe flower is Loropetalum, an evergreen with strap petals in spring, often on purple leaves. That job is on How to Grow Chinese Fringe Flower. Fothergilla is a spring bottlebrush in the same family on How to Grow Fothergilla. The astringent in the bottle is distilled from common witch hazel bark. Growing the shrub is not a recipe for that lotion.
What is the difference between witch hazel and winter hazel?
Witch hazel is Hamamelis, with spider flowers in fall or winter. Winter hazel is Corylopsis, with hanging yellow bells in early spring.
If bloom is thin, give it more sun and keep the soil from baking dry in July.
FAQ
Can I start witch hazel from a cutting?
Named kinds are usually grafted. Cuttings are hard to root. Buy a plant. Suckers from below the graft are the rootstock, not the named top.
Is the bottle the same plant?
The lotion is distilled from common witch hazel bark. The garden shrub is Hamamelis. Growing it is not a how-to for the extract.
Does witch hazel get galls?
Cone galls on the leaves are mostly cosmetic. They do not usually threaten the shrub. You can pick off a badly galled leaf if it bothers you.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] Iowa State University Extension -
https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/all-about-witch-hazels - [2] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/hamamelis-virginiana/ - [3] Garden Design -
https://www.gardendesign.com/plants/witch-hazel.html - [4] Brooklyn Botanic Garden -
https://www.bbg.org/article/witch_hazels_winter_flowers_fall_foliage_and_lovely_form
This note is part of Hamamelis Guides.
More first-season notes by plant are gathered in How to Grow Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors