Chinese Witch Hazel
Cooler autumn days are well and truly here.
Despite summer attempting to cling on for a little longer, with those few days of blistering sunshine, temperatures have now started to drop as the nights grow ever longer.
However, do not hang up that trowel just yet as striking autumnal shades make this a beautiful time of the year to spend in the garden getting your hands dirty.
Few colours truly spring to mind for autumn displays quite like the deep magenta and red seen on the Chinese Witch Hazel, making this the perfect plant for us to thrust into the spotlight for October.
Known as ‘EverRed’, this evergreen shrub is a variety of the Loropetalum family, which is known for producing compact stunners that make an impact in more-or-less any garden scenario.
The main show-stopping feature of this beauty is the gloriously coloured blooms that grow in ribbon-like formations, erupting from one of the deepest purple and healthiest foliage you are ever likely to see.
A remarkable colour contrast forms as the sparkler-like flowers burst out like fireworks from ever-reliable foliage – rather fitting as we approach Bonfire Night!
Do not threat if you are short on garden space, as this plant looks just as impressive grown as a feature in patio pots, as it does when used to fill gaps in borders and beds.
This plant is an absolute breeze to grow, making it ideal for less experienced gardeners and those with slightly less time on their hands.
‘EverRed’ is a very slow grower and spreader, offering gardeners ample time to keep it looking uniform and tidy, before it becomes unruly.
The outstanding colour comes at a time when it is certainly most needed, adding autumn and spring interest when many other plants are starting to look tired or sit dormant.
Tempted to grow your own Chinese Witch Hazel?
We supply our Chinese Witch Hazel as a healthy two-year-old established plant in a 15cm pot, ready to plant out immediately.
If we have tempted you with this plant’s beauty, you can buy it by clicking on this sentence!
Top tips for planting this beautiful variety –
- When planting, try to find a spot in the garden in full sun that will not get waterlogged as winter approaches.
- Although this plant is hardy down to -10C, there is a chance that younger leaves can be damaged by frost. They will grow back, but protection should be provided if frost threatens to cause damage.
- For best results, grow ‘EverRed’ in a sheltered area in sun or light dappled shade – a south to south-west facing orientation is ideal.
- This variety prefers a slightly acidic, humus-rich soil that retains moisture so add ericaceous compost to the planting hole or grow in a container.
- Keep well-watered throughout the growing process.
- Like clematis, Chinese Witch Hazel thrives when the roots are cool, so grow it where the roots are likely to be shaded, such as among other planted perennials or cover the area with a thick mulch, slate, flat stones, or gravel.
- In colder parts of the country, such as where temperatures are likely to drop below -10C, Loropetalum should be treated as tender and kept in a large terracotta container that can be brought inside for shelter in the winter.
Have you got a Chinese Witch Hazel in your garden? Show us by sending a picture here!
