‘Sunburst’ is a round, bushy, 9- to 10-feet tall shrub that grows in sun to partial shade and is noted for its early blooms, starting in February, as soon as temperatures rise above around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Each curly, crimped bright red-purple flower has four strap-like petals with yellow tips emerging from a purple calyx. When temperatures drop below freezing, the petals will curl up and then open again when warmer temperatures return. Large round leaves are initially a medium green, then a dark green before changing to yellow-orange with red tints in autumn.

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