Plant Details

Great Plant Picks - Witchhazels are cherished for their exquisitely fragrant, spidery flowers just when we need them most: winter. 'Arnold Promise' is a vigorous cultivar. Its branches are upright when young but soon spread widely. It produces large, clear yellow flowers with reddish centers, it blooms slightly later than other related cultivars. Depending on the weather, its flowers appear on bare branches in about January and remain until early March. Curious seed capsules appear in late summer. Its handsome leaves turn yellow-orange in autumn. The wide shape of witchhazels allows for generous underplantings of companion plants, late-winter-blooming ones for complement or summer-blooming ones to extend the season of interest. At Vancouver's VanDusen Botanical Garden, the extensive witchhazel collection is underplanted with a sea of blue creeping forget-me-not (Omphalodes verna) - a stunning combination. Witchhazels thrive in rich well-drained soil, but will tolerate sand and clay if drainage is adequate. Provide a location with full sun to light or open shade. Regular water during dry weather will encourage the best flowering, but well established plants can tolerate occasional watering. Minimal pruning is needed to maintain its graceful vase-like form. Beginner pruners should consult an experienced pruner or take local classes before attempting to prune.