1 / 3

Key characteristics

Family: Hamamelidaceae
Height: 6 to 8 feet
Width: 6 to 8 feet
Flower color: Pale yellow, fragrant, bell-shaped flowers
Foliage color: Bright yellow, maturing to green-yellow
Bloom time: Late winter to early spring
Light: Partial shade to full sun
Water: Moderate
Maintenance: Low; minimal pruning required, mainly to shape
Growing zone: USDA zones 5 to 8
Wildlife: Attracts early-season pollinators, including bees and butterflies

Shrubs

Corylopsis spicata ‘Aurea’

Aurea Spike Winter Hazel

Corylopsis spicata 'Aurea' is a deciduous shrub known for its vibrant, golden-yellow foliage that brightens the garden from spring through fall. The leaves emerge as a soft yellow in spring, deepening to a rich golden hue as they mature, adding a warm glow to the landscape. In early spring, before the leaves fully unfurl, the shrub produces delicate, pendulous racemes of pale yellow, fragrant flowers that hang gracefully from the branches.

Light

Partial shade to full sun

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

Late winter to early spring

Find this plant

Works well in

Shade Gardens
Woodland Gardens
Specimen Plants
Pollinator Gardens

Companion plants

Holly · Pulmonaria · Oxalis · Japanese aralia · Celandine · Coral bells

Design tip

Golden foliage can illuminate a shaded planting for months after the delicate spring flowers have disappeared. Surrounding it with deep green evergreens creates a rich backdrop that intensifies the leaf color, while the shrub’s broad form brings a warm focal point to darker garden spaces.