Hello fellow tree lovers,
This year Yelena is acting odd; she had dried leaves and flowers at the same time.
She coloured nicely last fall, but the leaves just stuck. I tried to take them off, but they won't without being cut off.
Should I cut them or leave them?
What causes this? Something I can do about it? We had a fairly late Fall, but when it came it was very sunny in the day and in the 40ies F at night.
Thanks, Christie
This year it seems like a lot of things are hanging onto their leaves longer than normal--I'm not sure why since over here by me we've had plenty of cold weather. Some of my hydrangeas still have their leaves (some of them are even still green, but others have the brown ones hanging on), and one of my Japanese maples has all its brown leaves hanging on. Personally I usually let nature take its course and figure when the plant wants to drop the leaves it'll drop them but if you really hate the look of them I don't think it would hurt the plant at this point to take them off.
Witch hazels are known for this. My 'Diane' is blooming now too and she also has some leaves hanging on. I was going to try pulling them off but I noticed that most of those leaves are attached by the flowerbuds so their stems are still supple. I might cut them off but I think that is your call.
I thought it was a cultivar-specific phenomenon.
My Diane, Jelena, Sunburst and Orange Beauty all drop their leaves cleanly.
But my Arnold Promise and Sandra hold their dead leaves every year until leafing out after flowering.
But I see Loretta's Diane holds her leaves also, so I guess other factors are at play.
Mine are consistent every year, so I hadn't noticed changes related to weather.
Our last weekend was really warm, so I was checking out my witchhazels.
Just one tiny petal of Jelena is trying to unfurl - they'll pop within the next week or two, I'm sure.
I'm ready for spring!
Weerobin, what a nice collection you have!
I have read certain varieties hold their leaves too, like Pallida but having watched a few varieties at local arboreta over the years, I think it varies. This year, my Arnold Promise doesn't have any leaves on it.
Thank you everybody! This is only my 3rd year with Yelena, and the first year she does this. I was a bit worried.
I'll leave the leaves then.
My Diane dropped all the leaves nicely and was a stunning plant until my neighbour's cat jumped to catch a bird and fell right onto the crotch of the biggest branches. They broke and now the bush looks more like a scarecrow!
Ecrane, we had plenty of cold here too, about 800 hours of chill so far, should be sufficient, but isn't! There is more at play than just cold I am learning!
Weerobin, Loretta, do you have pictures in Plant Files of all your plants? I would like to see them!
Christie
I know how you feel Christie. They grow so slowly so any major breaks really sets them back. Because my Diane was open in the middle like a "Y", my friend's kids thought it was great to jump through. Oh well. It recovered and kids will be kids.
I did not add the pictures to the plant files yet. I just switched computers and haven't imported the pictures yet. Your picture of Jelena is very beautiful and I bet she smells wonderful! Witch hazel is one of my favorite flower scents in the garden. I came very close to shovel pruning Diane because of her lack of it and she never flowered well. She must have known because this year she set a decent amount of buds.
My vernal witch hazel has always dropped all leaves by winter and bloomed with bare branches in early spring... until this winter. It has lots of dried on leaves, and is just starting to bloom with the recent mild spell. I thought only the common (virginiana) witchhazels kept their leaves into winter when they bloom in late fall/early winter. Reading up on them, Dirr notes that often young plants of vernal witchhazels keep their leaves into spring, but lose this trait as they plants get older and established. He also notes that 'Diane' is prone to keep its leaves and "must be removed to maximize flower effect". (He recommends 'Magic Fire' aka 'Fire Charm' as superior to both 'Diane' and 'Ruby Glow'. He also likes 'Jelena', and doesn't note any problem with persistent leaves.
Here are a couple pix of mine.
This is Sunburst.
And my Jelena.
I've often wondered if mine is really Jelena, since it's a little redder than others.
Certainly looks a little redder than Christie's.
All I know it was tagged as Jelena when I bought it.
My wife often sticks a few in a vase so their nice fragrance isn't wasted on the great outdoors.
What a great idea to bring a few cuttings inside!
Weerobin, how pretty! It does look like Jelena to me!
I daren't cut flowers for inside, she is such a s l o w grower, I don't think I could cut without spoiling the look!
She is still young, maybe in a few years!
Thank you HoosierGreen, for the digging into information!
Christie
ps; in this photo mine looks redder too, see?
Christie, that photo does look a little more like mine.
I'm really looking forward to this weekend to see if all my witch hazels are springing to life.
The blooming of my witch hazels always signals the beginning of spring,
despite whatever Puxtahawny Phil has to say (I have no idea how to spell it...)
In my garden I usually wait for the Forsythia, but she is late this year. The white and pink forsythia are blooming, but technically they aren't in the same family!
Make some pics Weerobin!
CC
My witch hazels are coming along, but still not fully open.
But still, on a day when the high temp is supposed to be 35, it's nice to see flowers in the yard!
Here's the beginnings of Jelena.
And Arnold Promise.
Geez, it's hard to get these spidery petals in focus.
Or maybe it's my myopia. Bad combination.
My Sunburst doesn't have a single bud this year.
I've noticed good years / bad years in the past with witch hazel flowering.
Has anyone else noticed that?
Weerobin, your Arnold Promise has the cheeriest of yellows I have ever seen! Very pretty!
Nothing on my 'sunburst' either.
Well, more Hamamelis acting odd? How weird!
Maybe they will start soon? I wonder why!
Last year was a bad year for me. This year is better.
I know flowering crabs are reputed to have alternate blooming years.
Maybe the same is true of witch hazels?
