Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard

Leonard's Witch Hazel

Shrub

Perennial

Vascular

Leonard's Witch Hazel is a native deciduous shrub in the Witch-Hazel family (Hamamelidaceae). It is found in south Alabama. Leonard's Witch Hazel grows in hardwood or mixed pine/hardwood forests on mesic slopes. S. W. Leonard described this new species of Witch Hazel from specimens he collected on Camp Shelby in the Desoto National Forest, Perry County Mississippi in 2004 (Sida 22: 850. 2006). Brian Keener first reported this species as new to Alabama in 2010 from populations originally discovered by Wayne K. Webb. (Castanea 75: 500. 2010). It has since been documented from seven counties in southwest Alabama. Leonard's Witch Hazel is a multi-trunked shrub reaching heights of 15-20 feet, though most plants are only a few feet tall. The leaves are alternate, ovate in outline, with crenate (rounded teeth) margins. The flowers are produced between late December and February. Flowers are red or orange red in color. Each flower has four strap-shaped petals. The fruit is a woody capsule that explosively ejects the seed when it splits. The seed may be ejected several yards from the plant. Leonard's Witch Hazel differs from our common Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana Linnaeus) by having larger, more rounded leaves. The flowers are red or orange instead of the clear lemon yellow of common Witch Hazel, and it flowers in the late winter instead of autumn. So how did this plant go undiscovered for so long? It is much less common than our other species of Witch Hazel, and often grows in remote, difficult to access areas. The flowering time (February) also makes it less likely that a botanist would be out collecting. Plus, if you see the plant when it is not in flower, it is easy to dismiss it as a common Witch Hazel with unusually large leaves. Leonard's Witch Hazel is commercially available from some native plant nurseries. It prefers a semi-shaded location with moist loamy soil.--A. Diamond

This species was first reported as new to Alabama by Keener in 2010. The report and subsequent collections were made from populations originally discovered by Wayne K. Webb. Castanea 75: 500. 2010.

Native

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