Fauna
Plant · GBIF taxon 3152832

Ozark Witch-hazel

Hamamelis vernalis

Also known as Vernal Witch-hazel, Spring Witch-hazel

Ozark witch-hazel is a tough, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub renowned for blooming in the depths of winter from January to April. Its spidery flowers feature ribbon-like petals that curl inward during hard freezes to protect sensitive reproductive parts, unfurling again as temperatures rise. Along gravel bars and rocky stream banks, dense thickets spread by suckering, stabilizing riparian soil against powerful seasonal flash floods.

Winter-BloomingRiparianFragrant
Ozark Witch-hazel reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) mayfly1963, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by mayfly1963 · cc-by
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Photosynthetic autotroph
Predators
  • White-tailed Deer
  • North American Beaver
ThreatsRiparian scouring from altered hydrology, invasive species, and habitat clearing
HabitatsGravelly stream banks, rocky streambeds, bluffs, and moist riparian corridors
Life span30–50 years
Classification
  1. FamilyHamamelidaceae
  2. SpeciesHamamelis vernalis
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Winter Blooming: Look for spicy, fragrant yellow to coppery flowers along snow-covered Ozark stream banks from January through March.
  • Seed Dispersal: Listen for popping sounds in autumn when mature two-valved capsules explosively fling glossy black seeds up to ten meters.
  • Root Health: Avoid trampling gravel bars around suckering thickets to keep streambanks stable.
Related species
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