There is a North American native witch hazel, otherwise known as Hamamelis virginiana. Unlike the Asian witch hazel, it is a fall-flowering species. It grows in forest clearings and margins, in thin woodland and along shady highways across the east, from Quebec south to Texas and Florida.
The American witch hazel has fragrant yellow flowers. Although the blooms are smaller than the Asian witch hazel, it still has a delightfully sweet scent.
The Ozark witch hazel (Hamamelis vernalis), is another very small-flowered but heavily scented species, found in Missouri and Arkansas. This rare specimen has orange or yellow flowers that bloom in spring.