Hamamelis Intermedia Arnolds Promise

Hamamelis Intermedia Arnold's Promise Witch Hazel - Winter Flowering
Hamamelis Intermedia Arnold Promise, or Witch Hazel Arnold Promise, brings the promise of spring when its fragrant yellow flowers bloom in late winter, and then cheer the gardener again in autumn with its bright foliage, making it an ideal all-season choice and earning the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Developed at the Arthur Arboretum in Boston USA in the last century, Hamamelis Intermedia Arnold Promise has long been a UK favourite. In late winter, fragrant yellow flowers with red cup-shaped centres clothe the bare branches, lasting up to 2 months for a delightful introduction to the new garden year. The mid-green leaves that follow turn shades of yellow and red-orange in autumn for a bright end to the year. 

Hardy in most locations in the UK, even in severe winters, Witch Hazel Arnold Promise will grow to a mature height of and spread of 2.5-4 metres in 10 to 20 years. Annual pruning after flowering will ensure continued strong growth and heavy flowering the next year. Cut back 20 percent of stems to the base each year. 

Plant Hamamelis Intermedia Arnold Promise in full sun or partial shade in an exposed or sheltered position. For the best display of flowers, find the sunniest location possible.  Witch Hazel Arnold Promise will do best in a moist but well-drained clay, sand or loam soil with an acid to neutral pH. Tolerant of both salt and pollution, it is equally well-suited to coastal or city gardens, and as it is deer-resistant, is also ideal for country properties. 

You will not want to hide Hamamelis Intermedia Arnold Promise in a remote corner of your property, as the late winter flowers are a delight to see and smell, and the graceful shape of the bare branches will be attractive even in winter. Plant a specimen next to your patio or walkway, where the scent can waft into the house through an open window on mild days. As a part of a mixed border it will be complemented by early-blooming spring bulbs, and then provide shade for perennials in summer before lighting up the autumn garden with its bright foliage! As a specimen tree in a small lawn, Witch Hazel Arnold Promise will be an attractive focal point. 

Hamamelis Intermedia Arnold Promise is a small deciduous tree with much to recommend it: hardy, with a graceful shape, fragrant late-winter flowers and bright autumn leaves.