Hamamelis vernalis Washington Park - Witch Hazel

The 'Washington Park' Hamamelis vernalis is a variety of witch hazel, a deciduous shrub with a rather rounded habit. It catches everyone's attention between January and March with its clusters of deep red flowers that bloom on the bare branches. In autumn, its dark green, rounded and veined leaves go through a wide range of colours, from yellow to red. This variety brings the garden to life at a time when the cold seems to freeze everything, alongside winter-flowering shrubs or colourful autumn foliage. It does not exceed 3m (9 ft 10 in) in height and 4m (13 ft 1 in) in width.

Hamamelis vernalis Amethyst is a horticultural variety originating from the Washington Park Arboretum located in Seattle, USA, derived from the Hamamelis vernalis. The latter is a large, stoloniferous shrub native to the centre of North America, specifically the Ozark Plateau, which covers the states of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. It is found on rocky slopes along watercourses. All these plants belong to the hamamelidaceae family, among which we find Loropetalum, liquidambars, and Persian parrotia. 'Amethyst' slowly forms a large, bushy, vigorous shrub with a rounded and branching habit, reaching an average of 2.50m (8 ft 2 in) in all directions at maturity. Its deciduous foliage is composed of oval leaves, 7 to 13cm (2.8 to 5.1 in) long and 7 to 13cm (2.8 to 5.1 in) wide, initially bronze in spring, becoming dark green-grey in summer, and then turning coppery orange and fiery red in autumn. In this Amethyst variety, they persist on the branches for a long time before falling. Its fragrant flowers are just as delightful as its colourful foliage. They abound on the bare branches during the months of February and March, composed of pale pink petals with lavender highlights, elongated and oddly wrinkled, twisted and almost claw-like.

The 'Washington Park' Hamamelis vernalis likes humus-rich, limestone-poor, moist, light, or even rocky soils. It will thrive in full sun or partial shade. Plant it on the edge of a woodland, in front of large trees, or in the back of a border alongside Heucheras, Daphnes, Pieris, and Sarcococca as well as the amazing Garrya elliptica James Roof,  in warmer climates. It will also be magnificent in a border, combined with evergreen shrubs such as an autumn camellia or a Chimonanthus praecox. At its base, you can plant winter heathers, Japanese grass, or hellebores.