This page is about Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) its medicinal and other properties and place in folklore.
Witch Hazel is not actually a kind of Hazel at all; and it has nothing to do with witches, either! It is a native North American plant, and perhaps got its common name because its leaves reminded early British settlers of hazel trees. The ‘witch’ part comes from the old English word wyce, meaning pliable (a characteristic that hamamelis twigs certainly share with those of the hazel tree), as is seen in the common English name of a different tree, Wych Elm.
Because of its attractive habit of blooming in winter – the flowers of different cultivars range from palest yellow to vivid orange – it has featured in many gardens since it was first introduced to Britain in 1736. The scent is variously described as like honey or spice, but on cold winter days you may need to breathe on the flowers before you can detect the faint perfume. Being in flower at this time of year it attracts, but cannot depend on, visiting insects, and is able to self-pollinate.
The witch hazel specimen we have in the Physic Garden is not the medicinal plant H. virginiana, but probably its close relation H.mollis, and is a delightful example of this winter flowering tree.
Medicinal Uses
Hamamelis virginiana (Virginian Witch Hazel) was well-known to native North Americans as a medicinal plant, and bark, leaves and The Cherokee used it for a wide range of ailments including colds and fevers, sore throats, and on sore or scratched skin. The Chippewa concocted skin lotions and eye washes from the tree, and used it as an emetic in cases of poisoning. The Iroquois made poultices which they applied in various conditions, from respiratory problems to heart and kidney disease. Other Native American remedies included skin rubs and washes for bruising, sprains and insect bites; and to treat tumours and other swellings. It was also made into a herbal tea for general good health, and as an appetite stimulant.
During the American Civil War, a Confederate doctor who had studied the medicinal applications of plants long before, was given leave from army duties to find alternatives to normal supplies, blockaded due to the war. Having observed the native peoples’ use of Witch Hazel, he recommended it for many of the same medicinal applications, and included it in a well-regarded treatise on his findings: Resources of the southern fields and forests, published in 1863.
A distillation of Witch Hazel may also be found in many medicine cabinets today, useful as an astringent for inflammation, bruises and other skin conditions. It is sold over the counter in British pharmacies and health food shops, and is classified by the US Food and Drug Administration as a Class I drug, which means it can claim efficacy in medicinal applications.
Homeopathic and herbalist practitioners also prescribe it as a deodorant, and to treat varicose veins, haemorrhoids, and skin blemishes.
Myth and Magic
Witch hazel being a late plant introduction, there is no European folklore attached to it, although E A Bowles, an early 20th-century gardener, did call it the “Epiphany tree”. This was because it is generally in flower on 6th January (Epiphany) and its flowers are gold and scented like frankincense, two of the gifts brought by the Wise Men.
In the USA Hamamelis virginiana is sometimes called Winterbloom for its flowering habit, and Snapping Elder or Snapping Hazel because of the noise the opening seed pods make.
Native Americans believed in the efficacy of witch hazel in dowsing for water and buried treasure. They also made sacred beads from the seeds, and used the plant in rituals to predict the outcome for their sick patients.
Acknowledgements – thanks to the following for much of the above information:
www.telegraph.co.uk
www.herbaria.plants.ox.ac.uk
www.britishhomeopathic.org
www.rhs.org.uk
www.environment.arlingtonva.us
www.library.uab.edu
