Quackin Grass Nursery

Hamamelis vernalis‘Christmas Cheer’ – ​Only 1 available. 'Christmas Cheer' has been a grand surprise. This Vernal Witchhazel begins flowering either side of the winter solstice in northeastern Connecticut depending upon the vagaries of December and continues flowering for at least 10 weeks. Gold thread petals with a heart of dark maroon adorn this large shrub. Granted, the citrus-scented flowers are small but what they lack in size they make up for in numbers. In that ‘Christmas Cheer’ flowers with such zest through most of the winter in USDA zone 5b makes it a tough and astonishing shrub! The green summer leaves change to clear butter yellow in autumn, consistently and completely. The multiplicity of gently curving woody stems on this large shrub exhibit a light-reflecting silvery with a slight coppery sheen - really like white gold - become increasingly beautiful in form providing further interest when leafless. Spring planting may be the wiser tactic for gardeners towards the northern end of its range. Established potted shrub, cutting grown.

This bit of history from Witch Hazels by Chris Lane: "Selected and named by J. C. McDaniel of Urbana, Illinois, because it is one of the first clones of Hamamelis vernalis to come into flower. The original plant was brought from the Missouri Ozarks by Dr. James W. Gerdemann, professor of plant pathology at the University of Illinois College of Agriculture. This plant will flower around Christmas and is very fragrant with reddish petals. First grown and introduced by Hoogendorn Nurseries, Newport, Rhode Island, about 1978."