'Jelena' is a deciduous shrub with alternate ovate or rounded leaves with a wavy margin. Yellow and red fragrant flowers bloom in February to March. The small flowers grow in clusters of three or four and each flower has four strap-like petals that open as soon as temperatures rise into the 40-degree Fahrenheit range. Fall color is a mixture of red and orange leaves.

Intermediate witch hazels were created by the hybridization of Hamamelis japonica (native to Japan) and Hamamelis mollis (native to western China).