The Dawes Arboretum

Common name: Brentry Japanese witch-hazel

Family: Hamamelidaceae (witch-hazel family)

Distribution: Species native to Japan

Hardiness: USDA Zone 5

Life form: Deciduous shrub/Subshrub

Comments: This cultivar is relatively new on the scene (1999) and only rarely encountered in the U.S. Will mature to around 9' tall and wide, but is noticeably slower growing than hybrid selections. Unfolding leaves are attractively red tinted and later appear dark green until turning yellow in autumn. Flowers arrive somewhat later than most witch-hazels (March) and display pale yellow petals, 2/3" long, with maroon centers.