Vernal Witch Hazel blooms in late January and February when nothing else is flowering, producing small, spidery yellow to orange-red flowers with a strong, spicy fragrance on cold winter days. It grows on rocky stream banks in the Ozark Plateau region. Its seeds are explosively ejected and can travel up to 30 feet, similar to its eastern relative.
Best time to see a Vernal Witch Hazel
The best time to see a Vernal Witch Hazel is January–March, when about 77% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 563 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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