Arnold's Promise Witch Hazel - Hamamelis x intermedia | Joshua's Garden

Hey guys, this is Josh with the plant of the week. This week we will be taking a look at the Arnold’s Promise witch hazel, also known by hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold’s Promise’. This is a pretty mature specimen at URI, which is in full bloom in February! These trees get about 15’ tall and wide, with many branches that grow out from the center of the trunk, making it look more like a large shrub than a tree. This witch hazel has moderate growth, and is hardy in zones 5-9. This tree grows best in full sun and prefers moderately acidic, well draining soil full of organic matter. The flowers are the real show stopper on this plant, which blooms in late winter into early spring, and actually holds its color for the better part of a month. These blooms have four small and very thin petals with red calyx in the center, but you don’t see the red much until you get close to the flowers. They are fragrant and have a delightful floral scent. This tree actually came from the Arnold Arboretum in Boston, MA that was known for having a lot of blooms on the branch. It quickly became cultivated and is a beautiful landscape specimen that stands out when practically everything else is dormant! That isn’t all about this plant though. Witch hazels also have brilliant fall color, making this a true three, almost four season tree. The leaves turn to a mixture of bright yellows, oranges, and reds for a stunning show before the winter. Overall this is one of the best witch hazels to add to a garden, particularly somewhere close to a walkway where you can take in the fragrance of the blooms. Would you add this to your garden? Let me know your thoughts and stay tuned for another plant of the week!
Information source:
Dirr, Michael A. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses. 6 ed., Stipes Pub., 2009.
Here is a link of Michael Dirr's book:
www.amazon.com...
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