Hamamelis virginiana 'Little Prospect' (American Witch Hazel)

Hamamelis virginiana 'Little Prospect' is a gorgeous, variegated cultivar of witch-hazel,a deciduous shrub or small tree, typically found in understory environments across the eastern half of the United States and Canada. Noted for its relatively compact size and showy foliage, 'Little Prospect' produces beautiful golden yellow and green variegated foliage, with a deeply veined texture. While some variegated cultivars' foliage can burn in full sun or intense heat, Hamamelis virginiana 'Little Prospect' is also noted for its tolerance of both, resulting in consistent, multi-colored foliage that stands out from almost any other shrub or small tree in the landscape. Then, after spring and summer variegated leaves turn to intense golden yellow fall foliage, and after leaves begin to fall, this witch-hazel's dazzling fall show of lightly fragrant flowers begin to bloom on the plants' bare branches. 

As an understory tree, Hamamelis virginiana performs well in almost any light, soil, or moisture condition, though it prefers well-draining soils with some acidity. In much of the northeastern US, witch-hazel is among the last native plants to flower in the fall, blooming from early October well into November and even December. While the spring and summer foliage might be the biggest draw, all of this cultivar's striking display through the fall and winter adds a ton of multi-seasonal appeal, and the tree's appearance is only one half of the story, since trees play host to a number of butterfly and moth larvae as well as a huge variety of songbird species. While 'Little Prospect' may be best served as a specimen plant, this striking witch-hazel is versatile enough to use almost anywhere!