Hamamelis virginiana

Object Details

Description: This native North American witch hazel is most frequently seen in its extracted form on pharmacy shelves. In the forest, it grows as a bushy tree or shrub which blooms with vibrant, confetti-like yellow flowers in the late fall to early winter. The fruit of this tree is unique in that it matures over the course of a year, and then in the fall of the next year, splits open and shoots its one to two seeds up to 30 feet.
Hardiness: -40 - 20 F
Attracts: Bees; birds
Bloom Time: October to December
Medicinal / Pharmaceutical: Witchhazel extract is distilled from the bark of young stems and roots. Leaves were used by some Native Americans.
Provenance: From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin

Common Name: American witch hazel; Common witch-hazel; Snapping hazel nut; Spotted alder
Group: [vascular plants]
Class: Equisetopsida
Subclass: Magnoliidae
Superorder: Saxifraganae
Order: Saxifragales
Family: Hamamelidaceae
Genus: Hamamelis
Species: virginiana

Life Form: Deciduous shrub/sub-shrub
Average Height: 15-20' (4.6-6.1 meters)
Bark Characteristics: Gray to light brown
Bloom Characteristics: Clusters of yellow flowers grow along stems. Have 4 crinkly, ribbon-like petals.
Fall Color: Yellow
Foliage Characteristics: Simple, alternate, oval and irregular leaves with wavy or toothed margins. 6" (15.25 cm) long.
Fruit Characteristics: Greenish seed capsules become woody over the corse of a growing season and mature to light brown. Split open in the fall of the next year. Propels 1-2 black seeds up to 30 feet (9.1 meters) away.
Structure: Irregular, rounded