Witch hazel is a total jackpot for any home gardener—not only is it stunning, but it’s also surprisingly low-maintenance. It’s no wonder more and more people want to add one to their backyard. However, I’ll be honest with you: propagating witch hazel isn’t exactly a walk in the park.
Growing Witch Hazel from Seed
You can definitely grow Hamamelis from seed, but fair warning—it’s a pretty intense project. Witch hazel seeds are “cold germinators,” meaning they need a specific chilling process to wake up. In fact, they need two separate cold treatments to get going. You’ll want to harvest the seeds before they’re fully ripe and tuck them into a container with moist seed-starting mix. Then, pop that container into the fridge over the winter.
The following summer, the seeds should hang out in a shady spot in your garden. After that, they need a second round of cold treatment in the fridge for the next winter. Keep the soil moist the entire time! By the time spring rolls around again, they’ll finally be ready for planting. This method takes a ton of patience and a bit of a green thumb, so I usually only recommend it to experienced gardeners who love a challenge.
Propagation via Cuttings
Taking cuttings is a slightly less exhausting way to grow a new witch hazel. You can take your cuttings either in February or in the late summer. If you go the February route, keep in mind that the babies need super high humidity—ideally, they should be started in a warm greenhouse. One thing to note: witch hazels grown from cuttings usually don’t reach the impressive size that Hamamelis is famous for.
Propagation by Layering
If you’re looking for the easiest path, “layering” a healthy branch is definitely the way to go. First, find a flexible, healthy branch and strip off the leaves. Bend it down to the ground and cover a section of it with soil, making sure the tip of the branch is still peeking out. Use a heavy stone to keep the branch weighed down underground. Pro tip: make a small nick on the underside of the branch before burying it—this encourages it to sprout roots much faster.
Propagating Hamamelis: Key Takeaways
- Growing from seed is a lot of work and generally isn’t the best starting point for beginners.
- You can take cuttings in February or late summer.
- Cuttings do best when they’re raised in a greenhouse environment.
- Layering is by far the simplest way to propagate your witch hazel.
- Just make sure you choose a healthy, bendy branch for the best results.
