Name:  Hamamelis vernalis ‘Amethyst’ aka Amethyst vernal witch hazel

Type of Plant: A shrub for full sun to part shade that flowers in March and April

Why I Love/Hate this plant:  I love most of the witch hazels, but this one is pretty spectacular in the late winter and early spring. The small, threadlike flowers are in clusters on the bare stems, and they last for several weeks. The deer don’t eat this shrub, and it makes a great addition to a mixed border since it’s in flower well before the normal spring-blooomers.

A Word to the Wise: Plant this witch hazel where it will be illuminated by the rising or setting sun…the sunlight at that time of day makes the pink flowers glow! This would also be a great shrub to plant in front of a white fence or a conifer with yellow foliage, since the flowers would show off nicely against those backgrounds.

Witch hazel flowers long before the foliage comes out in the spring.

Amethyst is especially striking when the setting or rising sun illuminates the flowers.

The flowers are especially nice when viewed up close!