American Witch Hazel is a late fall blooming, deciduous shrub or small tree that is native to woodlands, forest margins and stream banks in Eastern North America. It typically grows 15 to 20 feet tall with a similar spread. Stem-hugging squiggly clusters of fragrant bright yellow flowers, each with four crinkly, ribbon-shaped petals, appear along the branches from October to December, usually after leaf drop but sometimes at the time of fall color. Flowers may be tinged with orange and/or red. Fertilized flowers will form fruit over a long period extending through winter and into the following growing season. Fruits are greenish seed capsules that become woody with age and mature to light brown. Each 1/2 inch oval seed capsule splits open in fall of the following year, exploding the 1 to 2 black seeds within for up to 30 feet. Once the seeds are released, the empty capsules often remain on the plant for one or more additional years. Oval to obovate, medium to dark green leaves to 6 inches long with dentate to wavy margins turn quality shades of yellow in fall. This is usually the last flowering plant to bloom in the year.
