Hamamelis × intermedia 'Jelena'
Jelena Witch Hazel
Garden origin (hybrid; parent species native to Japan and China)
Overview
Hamamelis spp. 'Jelena', also sold as 'Copper Beauty', 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 wide-spreading, somewhat horizontal branching. The flowers open in late winter, January to March, each with four narrow strap-shaped petals about 0.6 inch (1.5 cm) long that read as coppery orange, suffused yellow at the base and red at the tips, clustered thickly along bare stems with a faint fragrance. The petals curl during hard freezes and reopen in milder weather. Autumn foliage turns orange and red before falling. It is hardy in USDA zones 5-8 and needs room for its wide spread, making it large for small spaces. It grows in full sun to part shade in moist, acidic, well-drained soil; flower density and fall color improve with more sun. Most plants are grafted, and rootstock shoots will overtake the named top if left to grow.
Native Range
Hamamelis spp. 'Jelena' 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 wide mature spread makes it large for tight foundation beds.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height12' - 15'
Width/Spread12' - 15'
Reaches mature size in approximately 10 years
Bloom Information
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-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
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
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
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F
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A
M
J
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early spring