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Transplanting a witch hazel

Barbara Meli
11 years ago

Hello all,

I need to move a 3' witch hazel which is in flower. When should I do the transplanting? Should I wait for leaf drop in fall or may I do it now?

Comments (7)

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    11 years ago

    LOL! Ken - you crack me up!! There ARE pollinators present even in winter. Winter blooming witch hazels attract mostly flies and typically by their rather intense fragrance, like a lot of other winter blooming plants. In my area they are also visited by overwintering Anna's hummingbirds.

    There is also some evidence that the plants self-pollinate to some extent as well.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    11 years ago

    glad i could brighten your day ...

    i had one in MI ... freakin cold z5 MI ... it bloomed in feb... in snow.. in ice.. in blistering northwest winds ...

    there were no flies.. moths.. or anything ...

    as i was typing it.. i figured out its a zone thing ....

    i wonder whatever happened to mine ???? .. when i moved.. i brought 1650 pots of plants ... 1500 of them hosta.. this must have been one of the few things i left behind ... i mean really.. am i going to go out and sniff the thing in 20 below winds.. in feb.. in MI ... NOT!!!! .. gotta be rather un-inspirational.. for me to have left it behind.. and wiped it from my memory for 12 years ...

    but GAL??? .. is now the time for him to move it?????

    ken

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    11 years ago

    Sure, it can be moved now. A 3' tall witch hazel is not a very big plant and should adapt to a new location pretty readily and be well established before the heat of summer takes over. We certainly sell enough of them at this time of year -- and most are a lot bigger than 3'!

    You might encounter a bit of a shocky reponse with regards the flowering but a quick move early in the day should reduce the chances of that to a minimum.

  • Barbara Meli
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks to both of you! I will schedule the move Saturday, unless I change my mind ;0)

  • Sara Malone Zone 9b
    11 years ago

    Ken I guess I shouldn't mention all the fruit trees in bloom here along with the witch hazels, huh?
    :) Sara

  • goodhors
    11 years ago

    My Witch Hazel is blooming now, in the cold, wet, and soon-to-be DEEP snow! It is an orange one, Princess Diane I think.

    I like it BECAUSE it blooms in the cold! Sure is nothing else blooming this time of year! Yes, I will make a special trip across the yard to look at the flowers up close. I am not a good smeller, so not catching the aroma, though other folks say it is a nice smell.

    I like it in Fall, has GREAT fall color, from orange to golden yellow leaves. Kind of all sunset colors in one place.

    I also have the yellow, fall-blooming Witch Hazels. Also quite pretty flowers, longer petals, though they can get lost against the tree foliage. They have very golden yellow leaf color in fall. Leaves fall off the shrubs, THEN they bloom.

    I will mention that Witch Hazels bloom MUCH better with extra water in dry times. Especially in late August, dry Sept, so they can make the flower buds to bloom later on.

    The unique flowers that open and close daily, streamer-like petals are cute, can be very colorful, and worth having around for winter blooms in Feb. Fall foliage brilliance is a bonus.