Witch Hazel (Hamamelis × Intermedia ‘Westerstede’)

Features and Characteristics

Hamamelis × intermedia hybrids are crosses between Japanese witch hazel (H. japonica) and Chinese witch hazel (H. mollis). They are somewhat coarse, loosely-branched, medium to large, deciduous shrubs that typically grow 12-20’ tall. They are particularly noted for their spidery, often fragrant, mid- to late winter flowers which appear before the spring foliage emerges.

Genus name comes from the Greek words hama meaning at same time and melon meaning apple or fruit in reference to the occurrence of both fruit and flowers at the same time on this shrub (particularly in the case of fall flowering members of the genus).

The hybrid name intermedia is in reference to the hybrid characteristics being intermediate between the characteristics of the two parent species.

‘Westerstede’ is a yellow-flowered form with upright branching. It will typically grow to 8-12’ tall. It is noted for its winter-blooming, mildly fragrant, yellow flowers (to 1” long), each having four, narrow, ribbon-like petals that are straight rather than crinkly. Axillary clusters of these flowers bloom along the stems from mid-February to the end of March. Broad-oval, green leaves (to 6” long) turn bright yellow in fall. This cultivar was introduced by Heinrich Bruns of Westerstede, Germany, with the cultivar being named after the town where he once maintained a nursery.