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Shrubs

Hamamelis × intermedia 'Livia'

witch hazel 'Livia'

'Livia' is a spreading shrub up to 2.5m high and 3m wide with twiggy branches, broadly elliptic leaves 11cm long and 6.5cm wide which are a medium yellowish green heavily flushed with maroon-purple in spring, become dark green, and develop faint orange-red tints in autumn; lightly scented flowers with purplish red calyces and deep red petals over 2cm long appear from late autumn to late winter, over a very long flowering period, and unlike some other red cultivars they do not change colour as they fade

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Ultimate height

1.5–2.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

2.5–4 metres

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

South–facing or North–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Hamamelidaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Spreading branched
Genus: Hamamelis are deciduous shrubs with broadly ovate or rounded leaves, sometimes colouring well in autumn, and fragrant yellow to red flowers with 4 narrow petals, borne on the leafless branches in late winter and early spring, or in autumn
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in moderately fertile, neutral or preferably slightly acidic soil which is well-drained but humus-rich and moisture-retentive in summer, in full sun or partial shade, in an open position with shelter from cold drying winds, and add mulch to conserve moisture; will also tolerate soils over chalk if they are deep and humus-rich; for more advice, see witch hazel cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by layering in autumn, by grafting in late winter or early spring onto H. virginiana rootstocks, by budding in late summer, or by softwood cuttings in mid-spring in very free-draining compost with bottom heat and humid conditions (under mist or in a closed case) and not potted on until the following year

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Low Maintenance
Hedging and screens
Banks and slopes
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to coral spot, honey fungus, phytophthora root rot and powdery mildews

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