Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Hamamelidaceae

Genus:

Hamamelis

Species:

Hamamelis virginiana

USDA Symbol:

HAVI4

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Tree

Height:

600 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade,Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

oct,nov,dec

Bloom Colors:

yellow

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Caterpillars:

★★★★☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Reported Fauna Sightings

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fall Color:

yellow

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from the root crown following fire. Moderately fire tolerant in its understory habitat.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

good drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Prefers woodland settings with organic matter

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 150–180 days

Germination Time:

30–730 days

Notes:

Seeds exhibit double dormancy requiring warm stratification followed by cold stratification. Germination is often delayed until the second spring after planting.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI