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Hamamelis × intermedia 'Diane'

Diane Witch Hazel

Hamamelidaceae

Garden origin (hybrid; parent species native to Japan and China)

Attracts Pollinators Deer Resistant Fragrant (light)

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 5–8

Overview

Hamamelis spp. 'Diane' is a deciduous hybrid witch hazel, a cross of H. japonica and H. mollis, grown for late-winter bloom. It forms a broad, vase-shaped shrub 12-15 feet (3.7-4.6 m) tall and wide with spreading branches. The flowers open in late winter, January to March, each with four narrow, crinkled strap-shaped petals about 0.6 inch (1.5 cm) long in deep red, fading to coppery red toward the tips, clustered along the bare stems with a faint fragrance. The petals roll up during hard freezes and reopen as temperatures rise, extending the display over several weeks. Autumn foliage turns yellow, orange, and red before dropping. It is hardy in USDA zones 5-8 and needs space for its broad mature spread, which makes it large for small gardens. It grows in full sun to part shade in moist, acidic, well-drained soil; flower color and fall color are strongest in more sun. Most plants are grafted, and rootstock shoots will overtake the named top if left to grow.

Native Range

Hamamelis spp. 'Diane' is a cultivated hybrid with no wild range, raised at the Kalmthout Arboretum in Belgium from a cross of H. japonica and H. mollis, both native to East Asia. It was selected for flower color and form rather than collected from the wild.

Suggested Uses

Used as a specimen, in shrub borders, and at woodland edges where the late-winter flowers and autumn color show, spaced 12-15 feet (3.7-4.6 m) apart. The broad mature size makes it large for tight foundation beds.

How to Identify

Identified by deep red, strap-shaped late-winter flowers along bare branches and by a broad vase-shaped form reaching 12-15 feet (3.7-4.6 m). The red bloom and yellow-orange-red autumn foliage separate it from the yellow- and copper-flowered hybrid witch hazels.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height12' - 15'

Width/Spread12' - 15'

Reaches mature size in approximately 10 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~5 weeks

Winter Spring

Flowers open in late winter, from January to March depending on region, before the leaves emerge. The strap-shaped petals curl shut in hard freezes and unfurl again in milder spells, so bloom can span four to six weeks. The fragrance is faint compared with the yellow-flowered selections.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

Mid-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.0 - 6.5(Acidic)

357912

Soil Types

loam peat

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

8-10 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

This shrub grows in full sun to part shade, with heavier bloom and stronger fall color in more sun. It needs moist, acidic, well-drained soil rich in organic matter at a soil pH of 5.0-6.5 and does not tolerate dry or alkaline ground. Even moisture suits it, and a 2-3 inch (5-8 cm) mulch keeps roots cool. Most plants are grafted, so shoots arising from below the graft are removed before they overtake the named top. Little feeding is needed beyond an annual mulch of compost.

Pruning

Pruning, if needed, is done right after flowering in late winter to early spring, removing crossing or crowded branches to keep the vase shape open. Suckers from the rootstock are cut away at the base as they appear. The plant flowers on established wood and needs little routine cutting.

Pruning Schedule

early spring