James Burghardt
Family
Hamamelidaceae
Botanical Name
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diane'
Plant Common Name
Diane Showy Witchhazel, Showy Witchhazel
Special Notice
This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.
General Description
Diane witchhazel brings love dark red and spicy scented flowers to the winter landscape. Dense tufts of ribbony, faintly fragrant, dark red flowers in the last days of a dreary winter are what makes this somewhat vase-shaped deciduous shrub so terrific. It perfectly blends and amplifies the great ornamental characteristics of its parents, Chinese witchhazel (Hamamelis mollis) and Japanese witchhazel (H. japonica). This hybrid was developed in 1969 by Robert de Belder at the Kalmthout Arboretum in Antwerp, Belgium.
The leaves are a dull dark green, glossy above (mainly when young) and lighter green and slightly fuzzy beneath. They are broadly oval with wavy and gently serrated edges and a short, obvious tip. In autumn they typical turn orange-red to red-purple and when dried linger on the branches. The bark is smooth and brownish gray, but the smaller twigs from which the flowers arise are often more light brown or whitish gray in color. In midwinter to very early spring, its dark red, four petaled, thick and crinkly-curled blossoms add unusual, autumnal color to the garden. They are boldly fragrant, both sweet and spicy, and may last for a month.
Plant 'Diane' in full to partial sun in an organic-rich soil with good drainage. Simply put: the more sun, the grander the flowering circus. The plant is best in acidic or neutral soils that are moist, but it is quite adaptable, noting that its growth will be considerably slower in drier soils and hot locations. As it may have been grafted onto a different witchhazel species' roots, make sure to prune off any suckering stems that arise from below the graft union. Also consider physically removing any lingering dried leaves from the twigs before the flowering begins. Use 'Diane' as a main focal plant in the foundation bed, mixed border or public landscapes – from parks to campuses to commercial courtyard and entrance gardens. It is particularly handsome when low groundcovers blanket the soil under the branches, and later-blooming spring bulbs popping up below the flowering branches heightens the glory of spring to come.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
8 - 1
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USDA Hardiness Zone
5 - 8
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Sunset Zone
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 15, 16, 17
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Plant Type
Shrub
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade
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Height
8'-15' / 2.4m - 4.6m
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Width
10'-16' / 3.0m - 4.9m
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Bloom Time
Winter, Late Winter
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Native To
Hybrid Origin
