Jessie Keith
Family
Hamamelidaceae
Botanical Name
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jelena'
Plant Common Name
Jelena Showy Witchhazel, Showy Witchhazel
General Description
The vibrant coppery gold and deep red flowers of 'Jelena' put on a super show. In the last dreary days of winter the branches of this vigorous cultivar become lined with fragrant, colorful, spidery flowers that brighten the landscape when most other plants are dormant. This spreading vase-shaped shrub amplifies the great ornamental characteristics of its two parents, Chinese witchhazel (Hamamelis mollis) and Japanese witchhazel (H. japonica). It was selected by Robert de Belder in 1954 and received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in 1993.
Witchhazel has dull dark green leaves that are broadly oval with wavy edges and short tips. The new leaves are glossier on top and paler and slightly fuzzy beneath. In autumn they turn shades of gold, scarlet and deep orange-red. The bark is smooth and gray-brown, but the smaller twigs, from which the flowers arise, are lighter in color. In late winter and early spring, the flowers appear. These are dark red at the base and have four coppery gold petals that are thin and crinkly. They are boldly fragrant, both sweet and spicy, and may last for a month.
Plant ‘Jelena’ in full to partial sun and organic-rich, acid or neutral soil with even moisture and good drainage. Simply put: the more sun, the grander the flowering circus. Its growth will be considerably slower in drier soils and hot locations.
This shrub is a wonderful specimen plant for open landscapes, foundations, mixed borders or public landscapes – from parks and campuses to commercial courtyard and entrance gardens. It looks especially lovely when low groundcovers and early spring bulbs blanket the soil under the branches.
Most cultivars, like 'Jelena', are grafted onto the rootstocks of hardier and more vigorous American witchhazels (H. vernalis or H. virginiana). So, suckering stems that arise from below the graft union should be pruned off.
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
10'-15' / 3.0m - 4.6m
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Width
15'-20' / 4.6m - 6.1m
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Bloom Time
Early Spring, Winter, Late Winter
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Native To
Hybrid Origin
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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Soil Drainage
Well Drained
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Soil type
Clay, Loam
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Growth Rate
Medium
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Water Requirements
Average Water
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Habit
Spreading
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Gold, Dark Red, Copper
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Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Gold, Crimson, Orange Red
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Bark Color
Sandy Brown, Gray
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Coarse
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
No
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Showy Bark
No
