‘Lemon Lime’ flips the script on our native witch hazel with foliage washed in bright chartreuse and soft lemon-lime highlights that glow even on overcast days. Compared to the straight species, its lighter leaves catch and hold the light, turning a shady border into a quiet spotlight. In late fall, spidery yellow flowers unfurl just as the garden is fading, adding a final spark of color before winter arrives. Its tough, twiggy framework shrugs off deer and rabbits, so you get the woodland drama without the snack bar.
Conditions: Full sun to part shade; moist, well-drained acidic soil
Size: 10’-12’ tall, 10’-12’ spread
Zone: 3-8
Wildlife Value: Flowers provide pollen and nectar for bees, flies, and other late pollinators; seeds provide food for birds
Photo: David Korbonits