American Witch-hazel

Hamamelis virginiana

Strong

Native to Florida. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height: 15–30 feet
Spread: 15–20 feet
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Usually moist

Space about 17.5 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count

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Hamamelis virginiana — bloom photograph — Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA · CC BY 2.0 · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Woody perennial
Leaves: Deciduous
Bloom: Fall
Fruiting season: Fall

Recorded in 35 Florida counties.

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Florida. Shared habitat, not food. 105 animals.

Pine Siskin
Carduelis pinus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Purple Finch
Carpodacus purpureus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Red-headed Woodpecker
Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Regulus calendula
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Accipiter striatus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Tufted Titmouse
Baeolophus bicolor
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Birds. 2 shared habitats
White-eyed Vireo
Vireo griseus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
White-throated Sparrow
Zonotrichia albicollis
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Yellow-breasted Chat
Icteria virens
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Dendroica coronata
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Acadian Flycatcher
Empidonax virescens
Birds. 1 shared habitat
American Redstart
Setophaga ruticilla
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Bachman's Sparrow
Aimophila aestivalis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Baltimore Oriole
Icterus galbula
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Black-and-White Warbler
Mniotilta varia
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Broad-winged Hawk
Buteo platypterus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Sitta pusilla
Birds. 1 shared habitat

All wildlife of Florida

Care

Water through dry spells; this plant is drought intolerant.

Care sources

NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Hamamelis virginiana

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

49CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL

Genus host records with ranges including FL · Hamamelis

Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
Acrobasis indigenellaLeaf Crumpler
Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
Acronicta hamamelisWitch Hazel Dagger
Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
Adoneta spinuloidesPurple-Crested Slug
Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
Apatelodes torrefactaSpotted Apatelodes
Archips semiferanusOak Leafroller Moth

Show all 49

Argyrotaenia quercifolianaYellow-Winged Oak Leafroller Moth, Lined Oak Leafroller
Caloptilia superbifrontellaWitch-Hazel Caloptilia
Cecrita biundataWavy-Lined Heterocampa
Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
Episimus argutanaSumac Leaftier
Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Kocakina fidelisIntractable Quaker, Green Fruitworm, Fourlined Green Fruitworm
Lambdina fervidariaCurve-Lined Looper Moth
Lithophane bethuneiBethune's Pinion
Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
Megalopyge crispataBlack-Waved Flannel Moth, Crinkled Flannel Moth
Nola triquetranaThree-Spot Nola
Orgyia definitaDefinite Tussock Moth
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
Phaecasiophora niveiguttanaLabyrinth Moth
Phaeoura quernariaOak Beauty Moth
Phigalia strigatariaSmall Phigalia, Small Oak Looper
Probole alienariaDogwood Probole, Alien Probole
Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
Pseudexentera costomaculanaWitch-Hazel Leafroller
Pyreferra ceromaticaAnointed Sallow
Pyreferra hesperidagoMustard Sallow
Rifargia subrotataSmall Heterocampa
Satyrium liparopsStriped Hairstreak
Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
Scopula limboundataLarge Lace-Border
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Xystopeplus rufagoRed-Winged Sallow
Zale phaeocapnaHazel Zale

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

2BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Hamamelis

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

1BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Hamamelis

Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Hamamelidaceae
Hardiness: Zones 3a–9b
Soil pH: Acidic
Flower color: Cream, yellow, red or white
Growth rate: Slow
Growth habit: Several stems
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: Fall
Fruit ends: Fall

What its natural habitat tells you

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS (ranked first; Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differs) · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Flower color · “Cream, yellow, red or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “Fall” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Species profile fruit display season; not a local ripening date
Fruit ends · “Fall” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Species profile fruit display season; not a local ripening date
Growth habit · “Several stems” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Slow” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 3a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “15–30 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Minnesota Wildflowers, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Soil · “Moist” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Soil pH · “Acidic” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “15–20 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

American Witch Hazel; Northern Witch Hazel

Conservation status

Florida rank	SNR
Global rank	G5
FL status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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How to check your spot

American Witch-hazel

At a glance

Also found with this plant

Care

Who uses this plant?

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

More Hamamelis