My helper friend came into lunch on Thursday and announced my precious witch hazels were flowering.
Witch hazel under our signature white oak
They flower as their leaves turn yellow in the fall.
Witch hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, according to Fedco’s catalog website:
“8’- 20' height x same for diameter.
A small irregular rounded fall-flowering medicinal tree or large shrub. Makes a soothing astringent with a seemingly endless number of uses from controlling acne to soothing diaper rash, baggy eyes (yes!), poison ivy, chicken pox, even an unhappy lovelife. Thayer’s Witch Hazel Astringent is still available in your local drug store. Most preparations involve simply brewing tea from the leaves and/or twigs.
Oval hazel-like textured foliage. Brilliant golden-yellow fall color. Quirky yellow flowers appear in early to mid November. “Witch” is said to refer to the odd flowering time or maybe it’s because dowsers like to use the interesting forked branches to “witch” for water.
Full sun or shade. Prefers moist acid soils; avoid dry spots. No pests or diseases, does well with very little care. We do nothing to ours and it looks better and better every year. Native Canada to Georgia. Z3.”
They say their flowers are in November, but mine are doing great right now. I have 2 bushes, both discovered in 2016 by my helper friend. The one under the oak isn’t flowering as well as the one over near the compost bins.
Witch hazel buds under the oak tree
The leaves and bark of the North American witch-hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, may be used to produce an astringent decoction as a cooling agent for various uses in traditional medicine, herbalism, and skincare products.
Witch-hazel water can be produced by maceration and by distillation.
2nd witch hazel shrub
The one near the compost that survived the trucks
When the excavator guys were working on this side of the yard, they asked me if I had any spiritual connection to this one. I said, “Yes! It’s my witch hazel plant!” So we carefully tied it back to a tree behind it so the equipment could get in and out without damaging it. Obviously we were successful, as it’s flowering profusely now.
Witch hazel leaves
The one near the compost
There is another variety, Hamamelis vernalis, the Vernal Witch hazel. It blooms in late February or early March. Its flowers have red centers and it is not as hardy and prefers growing in woods.
Source: https://fedcoseeds.com/trees/witch-hazel-513
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch-hazel