Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Common Witch Hazel bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called American Witch Hazel, Virginian Witch Hazel, Snapping Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana).

More about common witch hazel

About Common Witch Hazel

Hamamelis virginiana · also called American Witch Hazel, Virginian Witch Hazel · flowering

Common Witch Hazel is a native North American deciduous shrub or small tree prized for its bright yellow, ribbon-petalled flowers that bloom in autumn to early winter as leaves fall. Hardy and adaptable, it tolerates part shade and is widely used in woodland gardens and hedgerows. Not considered toxic to pets; bark extract is a traditional astringent.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Scale insects: Waxy or brown bumps on stems; treat with horticultural oil in late winter before buds break.

The reasons common witch hazel isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming common witch hazel traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding common witch hazel a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get common witch hazel to flower

Maximise sun. Give common witch hazel the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for common witch hazel and get the feeding right with the common witch hazel fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Common Witch Hazel flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full common witch hazel care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Common Witch Hazel blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my common witch hazel flower?

Common Witch Hazel blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make common witch hazel bloom?

Give common witch hazel the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does common witch hazel normally bloom?