Hamamelis japonica Zuccariniana - Japanese Witch Hazel, Japanese Hazel

The Hamamelis japonica 'Zuccariniana', also known as Witch Hazel, forms a small tree initially upright in shape, spreading with age. Its slightly fragrant blooms are a primrose yellow tinged with brown at the base. They appear directly on the branches' bark in March-April. It is also notable for its autumn foliage, taking on sumptuous hues of orange, yellow, and red. This shrub with high ornamental value from autumn to early spring creates beautiful winter scenes and then enlivens the spring garden awakening with its lively colour.

The Japanese Witch Hazel 'Zuccariniana' is native, as its name suggests, to Japan and is the origin of many hybrid varieties appreciated in gardens. All these plants belong to the Hamamelidaceae family, among which we find Loropetalum, Liquidambar, and the Persian Parrotia, which invariably display fantastic autumnal foliage colours. 'Zuccariniana' slowly forms a shrub with a flared port, consisting of a vertical trunk supporting a crown of upright and then spreading branches. It will reach 3 to 4 m in height with the same spread at maturity. Its deciduous foliage is composed of oval leaves, initially yellowish-green with bronze reflections in spring, turning dark green in summer, then colouring in autumn with coppery orange, red streaked with green or purplish areas, filling the garden with warm hues. Its slightly scented flowers are a beautiful surprise at the end of winter and a boon for the first bees. Each flower has four long, narrow petals of pale lemon yellow, supported at the base by small curved sepals of dark brown. They abound on bare branches during the months of March and April.

The Hamamelis japonica 'Zuccariniana' thrives in rich, humus-rich, light, fresh, and limestone-poor soils. Partial shade exposure is ideal. It adapts perfectly to woodland edges or under large trees, but it can also become a focal point in a border adorned with Coralitos, Dafnes, and Sarcococca. Its beauty is fully expressed in a border, accompanied by evergreen shrubs such as an autumn camellia or a Chimonanthus praecox. At the base of the Witch Hazel, consider planting winter heathers, a Japanese grass like Hakonechloa macra, or Hellebores, creating a contrast of textures and colours and, of course, a carpet of early-flowering bulbs such as Snowdrops and Eranthis.