Witch Hazel - new branches flowering in fall

Discussion in 'Woody Plants' started by vcallinan, Oct 31, 2007.

  1. vcallinan

    vcallinan Active Member

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    Location:
    East York, Ontario
    Zone 6a, Northfacing slope

    Hello, My Witch Hazel - Diane shrub lost it's centre branches last spring (2006), in a storm. They grew back, no problem. The rest of the shrub is fine - flowered well this early spring and turned a beautiful red this fall, the leaves are still there.

    The new branches didn't flower this spring, but that's to be expected. However, this fall the leaves turned yellow, then brown and the branches are in flower NOW. In October!

    Will the "new" branches flower again in the spring? Will the centre and outside branches always be out of sync?

    It doesn't look like a grafted plant. Your thoughts are welcome! ...vc
     

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  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    It's grafted. Cut the branches with the persisting dead leaves and yellow flowers off.
     
  3. KarinL

    KarinL Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Agree with the above. But it's odd that you didn't mention that the new branches are flowering yellow. Diane's flowers are an unmistakable red. Synchronization aside, if the spring bloom isn't usually red, then you bought the plant mislabelled, or the graft failed from the outset and you've always had only the understock. Maybe it hasn't looked like a grafted plant because, in effect, it hasn't been?
     
  4. vcallinan

    vcallinan Active Member

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    Thanks for the fast responses. Yes, the colour in the spring was red - I'd forgotten about that. Cutting out the center part will make the shrub hollow. How do I get the "real" Diane to fill in?
     
  5. smivies

    smivies Active Member

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    Location:
    Kingston, Ontario, Canada
    The spring blooming Hamamelis x intermedia varieties ('Diane' included) are almost always grafted onto the fall flowering Hamamelis virginiana.

    The blooming will always be out of sync as long as the two species are growing together. The only way to fix that is to remove one of the species (presumably H. virginiana) and put up with an odd looking shrub until it fills back in.
     

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