Vernal Witch Hazel taken today against the snow. The bitty flowers are impervious to cold. 'Pallida' in bloom today with its spicey sweet flowers. This selection does not have the stiff, upright habid of 'AP' instead it is more graceful and picturesque, also flowering is earlier since 'AP' has not opened up yet.

Heath and heather are different; heath is Erica and heather is Calluna. Winter heath, Erica carnea, looks more like tiny spruce or fir and heather (which may have winter foliage color, but not usually blooms around here in cold weather) is more scaled like cedar. My winter heath didn't bloom in the winter (nothing does in our usual 2-5 feet of snow at this time of year), but they do bloom as the snow melts. My winter heath was planted on a south-western ledge that I'd back-filled with gravelly acid organic soil that I find they seem to like and survived for about 5 years before a particularly cold, bare winter did it in. I'll probably replace it at some point when I have a good spot for it (and a supplier closer than the west coast.)

No problem, Paula; glad you have an appreciation for my hijacking of your thread. You posted the following: "Indeed, you've been a member since 2001, what took you so friggin' long to decide to leave if you hate us so much. All of 34 eh? Your lack of wisdom unattained as yet is evident." Clearly you lack the intelligence to read and then understand what I wrote in my posts. Who do I hate, Paula? It's a fact that many Americans abroad make their presence known in a crass fashion. Saying that doesn't mean I hate all of you. As I said, some of my closest friends are American. Why have you asked why it's taken me so long to leave? Are you that stupid, Paula? I would have thought that it's obvious that my decision was swayed by the bull**** written by bboy and his self-belief that he actually knows what he's talking about. Yep, I'm 34 years old; can one not have wisdom at that age? I know plenty of much older people who are not wise. You know very little about me, so by making that judgement, it may well be YOU who has picked up no wisdom along the way, otherwise you would know better than to say such a thing. Amazing that you can judge based on a few posts. You must be a magician. One more thing, Paula, just to make sure my posts have the same consistent tone..... fcuk off with the other two morons who have replied to me. Offensive enough for you?

I have a unnamed H. vernalis and one struggling H. x intermedia 'Diane', and the H. virginiana grow wild and so there are zillions of them. As far as color here, the H. virigniana is a beautiful clear yellow, and the best ones bloom after the leaves have fallen with relatively large yellow flowers, but no perceptible scent to me. The winter silhouette is quite nice. I really like them. My H. x intermedia (struggling since we are at or perhaps past its northern limit) has a consistently gorgeous orange/yellow/red mix of foliage color and deep red-orange spring flowers that stand out against the remaining snow. Color is a bit too blue in this photo. H. x intermedia 'Diane' From garden photos 07 If H. intermedia were hardier or my area warmer, I would plant many of these, and I may plant more, hoping to find some that are a bit hardier. Fall color may depend on the soil (mine is acid fine sandy loam) or some other factor, IDK. Here's a yellow H. x intermedia (not mine, but at the airport 35 miles south of me - different microclimate) pruned to tree form. From witch hazels My H. vernalis is the least attractive of the bunch. From garden photos 07 Flowers are tiny (to compare this photo with 'Diane' above, realize that the base holding the petals is almost twice as large for 'Diane' as for the vernal witch hazel) and pale reddish orange from a distance, though en mass they do show against the evergreens behind them. I haven't found the scent particularly attractive, sort of like cheap soap. It also tends to keep almost half its leaves, though I may try to remove some of them once they are thoroughly dry this winter. No appreciable fall color. Even though I live on an old farm and actively garden on a couple of acres, I wouldn't waste the space or money on another of these. Perhaps some named varieties would be better or you will have better luck with your seedlings than I. Blooming H. vernalis (yes it needs pruning) From witch hazels H. vernalis fall color From witch hazels So my order of preference is H. x intermedia (assuming finding one hardy enough to grow well here) H. virginiana H. vernalis YMMV This post was edited by nhbabs on Sun, Dec 7, 14 at 11:01