Are all hamamelis deciduous?
I am thinking of getting one, the ruby glow or sunburst.
I have an ugly shrub in my front that looks like it may be a pink variety of hamamelis. The leaves stay all year though, and because of that the flowers are hardly visible. This one has ugly leaves...
If they are all like that in CA, I am not getting one!
Please advise?
Christie
Here is my possible hamamelis, behind the bare tree in the border
Hi Mrs Colla,
Please peruse this thread for pictures of my Ruby Glow (which I find disappointing), and Jelena (which has become my favorite) witchhazels. VV added a photo of his Primavera, which is also an excellent selection.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/685514/
This thread, a year older, has some nice pictures of some other selections. In this thread, there is a picture of Diane, which, if you wanted Ruby Glow for its red flowers, Diane also provides but with bigger, brighter petals.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/575536/
Hope this helps.
Scott
Christie, do you have a closer up pic of the shrub that you're curious whether it's Hamamelis or not? If I'm looking at the right thing it doesn't look like Hamamelis to me but I can't tell what it is without a closer shot (I'm pretty sure they're all deciduous which would definitely rule it out for yours)
Ecrane, I went out just now and took some.
CC
and one more
I pruned it hard last year, it had taken over the whole border, and looked very unkempt!
Still doesn't look like Hamamelis...unfortunately I don't know what it is, hopefully someone else will know (if not, you can always post it over in the ID forum).
You have a Loropetalum which is a relative of Hamamelis. It is a large evergreen(or ever burgandy) shrub. I can't imagine that you would ever be happy with it in the space it is planted. The Loropetalums look best if let to grow naturally and you just don't have space for that.
chamthy's right, I should have thought of that with the flowers that look like Hamamelis! I think they're really pretty when they're in flower, but the rest of the year the foliage isn't particularly interesting. The ones with purplish foliage though are pretty even when not blooming.
Chamthy, thank you for telling me what this ugly shrub is. I was hoping it isn't a hamamelis, because I would like to have one. (do you know where I can find a picture of a hamamelis with summer and fall foliage?)
This shrub is very old, nobody knows what it is, I would not have planted it there!
Christie
Chamthy, I looked up the plant you said it is in plantfiles. In those pictures it is a very handsome bush. Mine was just never cared for, and as a result it has big stalks with no flowers. Can I fix that, or is it beyond saving? I wouldn't mind having it in all its glory! (but not the way it is now!)
Scott, Oh my gosh!!! Forget about ruby! I am IN LOVE with your jelena!!!!! Did you buy it on the web?
Scott, my son was born in the same place as Jelena; Kalmthout, Belgium!!! Now I MUST get it!!!!
No, I bought it at a local nursery. It is commonly available, as witchhazels go.
Scott
You could transpant it to a spot with more room and just let it grow. If it's happy the growth would be vigorous and you probably won't even see the old wood. It's worth a shot. You could also try rooting some softwood cuttings this summer. Dirr says to use a ratio of 3-1 perlite/peat. If your shrub is really old you may be happier with some of the newer cultivars on the market with darker foliage.
Mrs. Colla,
See my new thread called Dawes Visit for a new picture of Jelena.
Scott
