Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Hamamelis mollis

Other names

Chinese Witch Hazel

Family

Hamamelidaceae

Flowering season

January to March

English distribution

It is grown throughout the country in gardens but is only 

occasionally found in the wild.

For a map see the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland –

Chinese Witch Hazel

Habitat

It is a neophyte introduced from China in the late 1870s.

It did not become established in UK gardens until the early

1900s when it was used as a colourful, scented  plant 

that flowered around Christmas time. 

It was used to flavour bererages and in medicine.

It has been found in the wild west of London.

Description

Chinese Witch Hazel is a deciduous shrub or small tree

growing up to 8m.

The flowers are in clusters on bare branches before the

leaves. Individual flowers have 4 ribbon-shaped petals

up to 15mm. They are bright yellow and usually have

a red base.

There are 4 red stamens with bulbous anthers.

There are 2 ovaries each with a short red style anda 

small stigma.

The fruit is a hard woody capsule up to 12mm containg 

2 black seeds. It stays on the plant for about year before

splitting and ejecting the seeds.

The leaves are oval, up to 15cm, wavy or weakly.

toothed  and a short petiole. They look like normal

Hazel leaves and are downy on the lower surface.

The trunk is much branched and light brownish grey.

Witch Hazels have been used medicinally for centuries.

See Wikipedia article on Witch Hazels and 

Witch Hazel: Uses, Benefits, Side Effects (health.com)