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The Snappy Witch Hazel
Written By: Jeannie Chambers - The Accidental Gardener | Issue: 2019/03 - March
Witch Hazel, Hamamelis Virginiana, blooms in forests from Novia Scotia to Florida, and as far west as eastern Texas.
The little yellow flowers can be quite showy from September through November, especially in areas where all leaf color has passed. There’s another species, Hamamelis Mollis, which is known as Chinese Witch Hazel and blooms in spring. Witch Hazel has also been penned “Snapping Hazel” because the seeds of the fruit, a dual pod, explode when it matures, spreading the seed upwards of 25 to 30 feet. Oh, snap is right!
The deciduous shrub rarely reaches 15 feet in height. The name alone connotes visions of witchcraft, but it may derive from a much simpler form of the Middle English word “wice,” meaning pliable. The branches of the Witch Hazel have been used as divining rods, or dowsing rods, for hundreds of years. When a forked Witch Hazel branch is held lightly, the end dips when water is found underground. The deeper the dip, the deeper the water source. I’ve seen the process, and many a successful well was drilled in our area using a water dowser. Perhaps the term “Water Witch” was meant to describe the tool, not the person holding the instrument.
Native Americans used Witch Hazel for medicinal purposes. Their method of boiling the stems for use as an extract was later used by early American settlers, and led to a formal distillation process still in use today. Although early uses were to treat everything from swelling to tumors, today’s medicinal usage is mostly limited for use as an astringent. If you Google the uses for Witch Hazel, you’ll find some people use as a mouthwash, facial toners, treatment to get rid of the itch from insect bites, treat sunburn, and more. As with any over the counter items, do your own research before using this or any other product.
