Witch Hazel vs American Black Currant - TreeTime.ca

Witch Hazel vs American Black Currant

Hamamelis virginiana

Ribes americanum

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Witch Hazel
American Black Currant

Witch Hazel is a deciduous shrub, or small tree, with a short trunk, bearing numerous spreading, crooked branches.

The seeds grow in a long, wooden pod with two to four seeds per pod. Upon ripening, the pods burst, firing the seeds up to 30km an hour.

The leaf and bark extract of Witch Hazel has been used as a remedy to common ailments such as inflammation, bruises and much more for many centuries.

American Black Currant is a native deciduous shrub known for its clusters of small black berries that ripen in mid-to-late summer. The berries are edible and have long been used for fresh eating, preserves, and baking. They provide food for birds and mammals, and their fragrant spring flowers attract bees and other pollinators.

American Black Currant’s foliage serves as a host plant for butterfly species such as the Green Comma and Gray Comma, and its dense branching offers cover for wildlife. The shrub has traditionally been planted in shelterbelts, riparian buffers, and restoration projects.

Witch Hazel Quick Facts

American Black Currant Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2a
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: fast
Life span: long
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright to spreading, thicket-forming
Spreading: seeds - medium
Suckering: medium
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: gold to red
Flowers: small, yellowish bell-shaped, in clusters
Bloom time: spring to early summer
Berries: black, edible
Flavor: tart, variable
Harvest: mid to late summer
Seeds: seeds ejected to a distance of up to 30 ft
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: ON, QC, NS, NB, PE
Native to: AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB
Other Names: eastern black currant, wild black currant