Photo of witch-hazel by Laura Ockel, Unsplash.

MI BACKYARD

By Jennifer Devine

With bright yellow flowers opening just as the leaves fall in October, Common Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is a native show-off during bleak months. The ribbon-like petals of its flowers, which tolerate snow and some sub-freezing temperatures, cast spooky shadow spiders or gnarled witch fingers in the light of the moon, lasting well into December.

Witch-hazel works well as an understory tree, a large shrub or a natural fence. Moist soil and partial shade are preferred, but this woody plant does well in other conditions, except severe drought. Left on its own, it can grow as tall as 30 feet and spread to a width of almost 15 feet with a single trunk or many twisted trunks from a single base. To maintain a smaller shrub, prune in late winter/early spring.

The aromatic flower is less than an inch wide with four crinkly yellow petals up to 1 inch long. The crinkly curl occurs in the cold, but on a warm day the petals will straighten. The flowers bloom with last year’s mature fruit as they get ready to disperse, which is uncommon in the plant world. Hama is Greek for “together with” and melis means “fruit.” Inside each fruit pod are two shiny black seeds with edible white interiors and with what the website of the Friends of the Mississippi River explains is “… a nutty flavor.” The flavor profile is almost always described as pistachio. Once mature, brown and dried, the pods loudly explode, catapulting the seeds at least 10 feet.

The leaves are up to 6 inches long and shiny dark green. Alternate and ovate, they have wavy, toothed edges. Their colors change from green to golden yellow, fiery orange and scarlet red, before dropping in abscission, (“the natural detachment of parts of a plant, typically dead leaves and ripe fruit of trees,” according to Oxford Dictionaries).

Modern uses

Witch-hazel’s bark is smooth and gray. Using its bark, roots, twigs and leaves, manufacturers produce what we find on the store shelves. The Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR) website states: “According to one source, witch hazel is one of the few native medicinal plants approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a non-prescription drug ingredient.” Studies have found active compounds like flavonoids, tannins, and volatile oil which give the astringent action.

A bottle of this liquid can be a substitute for hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol to stop bleeding, clean wounds, tighten pores, reduce swelling and itching and fight bacteria. Savvy consumers use the liquid on cotton balls or wipes to remove makeup, clean jewelry, soak their sore feet and muscles, and more. You should keep a bottle on hand or make your own by soaking 1 cup witch-hazel bark in water for a half hour. Bring to boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool, strain and bottle the liquid. Keep the bottle in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Apply with a cotton pad or ball.

Historical uses

The “witch” in witch-hazel originates from “wych,” meaning pliant branches. Early English settlers with Native American teachers, like the Mohegan, found the branches of witch-hazel could be used as dowsing rods, much like hazel and wych elm were used to look for underground water in England.

In his story for The Atlantic, (“The Mysterious Past and Present of Witch Hazel,” Nov. 6, 2012), John-Manuel Andriote writes: “…The Osage used witch-hazel bark to treat skin ulcers and sores; the Potawatomi steamed twigs over hot rocks in their sweat lodges to soothe sore muscles; the Iroquoi (sic) brewed a tea to treat dysentery, colds, and coughs.” In the same article, Andriote recalls the history of American Distilling, manufacturing leaders of bottled witch-hazel extract.

Fun facts

Universally found in medicine cabinets since 1866, witch-hazel was and still is a go-to choice for character names, especially for witches, which has nothing to do with this “wych”.

-The Looney Tunes’ character Witch Hazel first appeared in the episode “Bewitched Bunny”, (1954).

-Disney had a nicer Witch Hazel that appeared in a 1952 Donald Duck episode, “Trick or Treat”.

-Little LuLu comics/books had a witch named Hazel.

-A children’s book was published last year called, “Little Wich Hazel: A Year in the Forest”.

Jennifer Devine has a passion for writing and plants. She has lived in cities and homesteaded off grid. She likes to hunt, fish and forage and meet like-minded people. She is continuously learning, having adventures and making memories with her family.

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