Common Witch-Hazel
Growth Habit
TreeBiocultural Value
Today, witch hazel is widely used as a topical astringent to treat skin irritations. Native Americans applied a witch hazel infusion to skin sores, scratches, bruises, and insect bites. The plant also had a wide variety of additional applications, including as a toothache remedy, kidney medicine, emetic, cough medicine, and eye wash. The Cherokee also used the leaves and twigs to make tea.
Wildlife Value
Witch hazel's yellow flowers primarily attract flies and wasps, although bees, moths, flower bugs, and beetles may visit occasionally, to collect nectar and/or pollen. Other insects feed on the foliage, sap, and seeds. These include the larvae of a weevil (Pseudanthonomus hamamelides), the witch hazel spiny gall aphid (Hamamelistes spinosus), the witch hazel cone gall aphid (Hormaphis hamamelidis), another witch hazel aphid (Aphis hamamelidis), and the larvae of the witch hazel dagger moth (Acronicta hamamelis). Game birds and squirrels eat the seeds, white-tailed deer browse on the foliage and twigs, and songbirds nest in the branches.
Location
Bald Hill and Caroline Pinnacles, Edwards Lake Cliffs Preserve, Fall Creek Gorge, Fischer Old-growth Forest, Slaterville 600, Purvis Road Wetlands Natural Area, Polson Preserve, Ringwood Ponds, Steep Hollow Creek, Mundy Wildflower GardenCultivation
Description
Small tree or large shrub with several large, crooked, spreading branches forming an irregular, rounded, open crown, reaching 20' to 30' in height and 15' to 20' in spread. Fall color a good yellow; can bespectacular. Flowers yellow, fragrant, composed of four strap-like petals 3/4" to 4/5" long; calyx lobesare yellowish brown inside. Flowers borne in 2- to 4-flowered cymes in mid-October or later; plants areoften in full fall color at time of flower, thus reducing the efffectiveness of the floral display. Blooming period lasts 2 to 4 weeks, depending on weather conditions.
Source of plant
Broken Arrow Nursery, Cornell Botanic Gardens, Chase Brother's Nursery, Princeton Nurseries, Robert Mower, Moses Nurseries, Schichtel's Nursery
