A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Witchazel Jelena

I have only one witchazel, Jelena. It flowers twice a year, sparsly in August/September with yellow flowers and profusely in December/January with orange flowers. The two colours of flowers are all over the plant, not one colour localised in one part and the other elsewhere. I don't know if this is characteristic of Jelena as I know no-one else who grows it. I'd like to know what the cause is - temperature sensitive pigment, perhaps? Any information greatly appreciated.

maybe it is male + female flowers

Thanks for the suggestion RugbyHukr, but it isn't likely, as they appear some 8-12 weeks apart so couldn't fertilize each other. I have been in touch with one of the holders of the National Collections of witchazels, and she replied yesterday to say that it is a characteristic of some grafted varieties that they produce flowers the same colour as the stock plant at a different time of year to the ones expected, both colours appearing on the graft, but nobody seems to know why or how it happens. It is a great relief to have my observations confirmed, even if no one knows the science behind it.

Hi Mazdz,
What zone are you in over there? I am in zone 6 and have never seen this tree, only heard about it.

If you have any woodlands near you, you may be able to see witchhazel. Locals back east call them 'wild forsythia' due to early spring, yellow blooms in the woods.