Champaign, Ill. (WCIA)

Ryan Pankau, Horticulture Educator, is back with what you need to know about witch hazel, a native tree/shrub, you can find here in central Illinois.

Here’s more from Ryan:

• Common witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is a native IL shrub or small tree with a really unique bloom time
• It flowers in the late fall, after most other flowering plants are done blooming
• Most gardens don’t have much blooming now, but pollinators are still active and still need nectar and pollen from flowers, which is their primary food source
• Witch hazel is a great plant to add for pollinators and for late season blooms, which look really pretty this time of year
• There are also non-native witch hazels species and hybrids with unique bloom times as well. Some bloom in the very late winter, starting as early as January depending on weather
• These non-natives can provide valuable blooms for pollinators in late winter or very early spring
• All of these species of witch hazel will grow well in central Illinois and are adaptable to range of site conditions. Consider adding these to your garden for some unique flowers.

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS EXTENSION
801 N. Country Fair Dr., Suite D | Champaign, IL 61821
rcpankau@illinois.edu
Garden Scoop Blog: go.illinois.edu/gardenscoopblog