Which witch hazel's best?

11:15am Thursday 17th January 2008

VAL BOURNE was put off them for years, but eventually gave tham a go

January is the month to buy witch hazels and I have just been on my annual hunt to find a good one. But I don't identify the best ones by the way they look, I smell them instead. The one photographed here is sweet and spicy (even on cool windy days) and the flowers veer between pink and orange, reminding me of shot silk. But you can also get cool primrose yellow, sunshine yellow and orange through to deep cherry red. I'll be planting my new acquisition among hellebores, snowdrops, ferns and miniature bulbs. Once established I shall expect it to produce flowers every January - when very few shrubs flower.

I've already got five in my new garden and the great thing about them is that, although their ribboned flowers look fragile, they are extremely resilient to frost, snow and heavy rain. They simply shrug it off. However, I was put off witch hazels for years having read that they preferred acid soil. I loved them so much I decided to give it them a go and bought a small one. Once planted, my first romped away at Hook Norton (on ironstone) and several romp away here on limestone. However, be warned, witch hazels (Hamamelis) will not tolerate shallow soil above chalk.

Over the years I've found that they enjoy fertile, well-drained soil which retains moisture in summer. Adding humus-rich compost will help create the right conditions. They also need lots of water in the growing season to encourage lots of bud. Last summer's deluge suited mine well. But in dry summers they will need watering copiously, especially if you notice that the leaves have dropped to a vertical position to try to avoid the sun. It's a classic sign of water stress and a few hours of a gently flowing hose (if the water authority allows it) is the best treatment, followed by a light mulch.

Although witch hazels like a cool root run they need to catch some summer sun on their branches for part of the day. The warmth ripens the wood and encourages growth for next year's flower. So you can't tuck them away in deep shade, or grow them in an exposed site. They are slow growers so they are expensive, ranging from £12 upwards. Pruning consists of shortening the side branches on the leaders a little, if needed, to encourage more flower buds.

Most witch hazels are open and branching in shape, although not all, so always look carefully at the shape when buying. Aim for a well-balanced bush. Many will colour up in autumn and their serrated leaves, which closely resemble hazel, can turn quite red. I've also found that if they form seeds, held in small upright cases, it lessens the number of flowers next year. Sometimes I pick the seed cases off.

The natural range of hamamelis, although once widespread, was limited by successive ice ages and, when the continents drifted apart, it isolated the American species from the Asian. Most cultivated forms are hybrids between the two continents and they are labelled Hamamelis x intermedia. These intermedia' hybrids have a profusion of larger flowers and there are many named forms. However, most of the ones we get in garden centres are wrongly named. So ignore the labels and look for large, scented flowers that please you.

Arnold Promise' is a later flowering mid-yellow bearing a profusion of smaller flowers. Diana' should have substantial red ribbons held in an almost purple calyx or bud case. Jelena' is a copper-orange. If you want to be more sure of what you're buying, the best local option is the excellent Penwood Nursery, near Newbury (01635 254366).

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