About Hamamelis vernalis Sarg.
Hamamelis vernalis Sarg. spreads via stoloniferous root sprouts. Its oval leaves measure 7–13 cm long and 6.7–13 cm broad, with a cuneate to slightly oblique base and an acute or rounded apex. Leaves have wavy-toothed or shallowly lobed margins, and a short, stout petiole 7–15 mm long. They are dark green on the upper surface and glaucous underneath, and often persist into early winter. Its flowers range from deep to bright red, and are rarely yellow; flowers grow in clusters, with four ribbon-shaped petals 7–10 mm long and four short stamens. Flowering starts in mid winter and continues into early spring. The Latin specific epithet vernalis translates to "spring-flowering". The fruit is a hard woody capsule 10–15 mm long. This capsule splits explosively at the apex when it reaches maturity one year after pollination, ejecting its two shiny black seeds up to 10 m away from the parent plant. H. vernalis often grows alongside the related species Hamamelis virginiana, but the two do not intergrade. H. vernalis can be distinguished from H. virginiana by its late winter flowering (December to March in its native range), rather than fall flowering. In cultivation, Hamamelis vernalis is valued for its strongly scented flowers that bloom in late winter, when few other plants are growing. Several cultivars have been selected, mostly for varied flower colors. These include 'Carnea' with pink flowers, 'Red Imp' with red petals that have orange tips, and 'Squib' with vivid yellow flowers.
