Quick Facts
Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Height at Maturity: 15-20 Feet
Usage:
Shipped As: Bare-Root
Planting Zones: 3-8
Product Details
American witch hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, blooms when almost nothing else does. Its fragrant, ribbon-petaled yellow flowers open in October and November, often as the leaves turn gold. Our wholesale witch hazel seedlings are bare root and graded 6-12 inch, 12-18 inch and 6-24 inch row run, packed in bundles of 100, 500 and 1,000. Landscape contractors, native plant nurseries, woodland restoration crews and riparian buffer projects order them, and witch hazel is one of TN Nursery's best-selling plants.
Witch Hazel Seedling Profile
| Botanical name | Hamamelis virginiana (American witch hazel, common witch hazel) |
|---|---|
| Family | Hamamelidaceae |
| Habit | Native multi-stem shrub or small tree, vase-shaped |
| Mature size | 15 to 20 feet tall and wide |
| Zones | USDA 3 to 8 |
| Light | Full sun to part shade |
| Soil | Moist, acidic to neutral, rich in organic matter |
| Bloom | Fragrant yellow flowers, mid to late fall |
| Fall color | Golden yellow |
Landscape Value in Every Season
For designers and installers, witch hazel fills the gap after the main bloom season ends. Clean, wavy-edged leaves shade from green in summer to bright gold in autumn, then the spidery flowers carry color and a light, spicy scent into early winter. Its upright, vase-shaped form fits foundation plantings, naturalized borders, campus and park plantings, and shaded courtyards where an understory accent is needed.
Native Habitat and Restoration Uses
In the wild, witch hazel grows in the understory of eastern hardwood forests and along stream banks. That makes it a natural fit for:
- Woodland understory restoration beneath oaks, maples and beech
- Riparian buffers and shaded stream banks
- Pollinator plantings, since its late flowers feed native moths, gnats and bees on mild fall days
- Wildlife plantings, where ruffed grouse, wild turkey and songbirds eat the seeds and use the shrub for cover
Witch hazel is also the plant behind the familiar witch hazel astringent, distilled from its bark and twigs.
How Many Seedlings You Need
For naturalized understory plantings, set seedlings 8 to 10 feet apart; at 10 by 10 feet, one acre takes about 435 plants. For a screen or hedge, plant 5 to 6 feet apart. Nurseries lining out for container production can plant 12 inches apart in beds.
Companion Seedlings
Witch hazel pairs naturally with white dogwood seedlings, redbud and sourwood in a flowering understory, all set beneath American beech or oaks. Find the full lineup in our wholesale seedlings collection.
Common Questions
When does witch hazel bloom?
American witch hazel blooms in mid to late fall, typically October through November, often as or after the leaves drop.
How fast do witch hazel seedlings grow?
Witch hazel grows at a moderate pace, often about 1 foot per year once established.
Does witch hazel grow in shade?
Yes. It thrives in part shade as an understory shrub and flowers most heavily with a few hours of sun.
Which zones suit witch hazel?
American witch hazel grows in USDA zones 3 through 8.
How do I get pricing for a large order?
Use our wholesale pricing request and list witch hazel with any other species you need.
Our Farm and Our Standards
Founded by Roscoe Tate in 1959, TN Nursery is still a family-run operation, and Tennessee Wholesale Nursery is its wholesale division. We farm 170 acres in Altamont, Tennessee, and have grown more than 200,000 redbuds there alongside native shrubs like witch hazel. Each seedling is lifted dormant and its roots coated in Terra-Sorb hydrogel before bundles are sealed, and every order ships under our Arrive Alive guarantee.