Common Witchhazel      ham-a-MAY-lis ver-gin-i-A-na

• Deciduous tree, 20-30 ft (6-9 m), upright, open.  Leaves simple, alternate, 7.5-15 cm long, 5-7.5 cm wide, obovate or elliptic, coarsely crenate, dentate.  Flowers in fall, yellow, fragrant, with four strap-like crumpled petals, each 1.3-1.7 cm long.  Fruit is a dull orange capsule, 13 mm long, pubescent, 4 sharp curved points, ripens when flowers of the current season are expanding.
• Sun or shade.  Somewhat tolerant of city conditions; prefers a moist soil, avoid extremely dry situations.
• Hardy to USDA Zone 3      Native from eastern Canada to Georgia, west to Nebraska and Arkansas.
• Oregon State Univ. campus: small tree east of Cordley Hall and just south of the Bates Hall play area.