Witch-hazel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Witch-hazel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Witch-hazel (Hamamelis, pron.: /hmmils/)[1] is a genus of owering plants in the family Hamamelidaceae, with three species in North America [2] H. virginiana and H. vernalis), and one (H. ovalis, each in Japan (H. japonica) and China (H. mollis). The North American species are occasionally called winterbloom.[3][4]

Witch-hazel

Contents
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Growth Etymology Genera Cultivation and uses 4.1 Garden shrubs 4.2 Medicinal uses Ecology Gallery Notes References External links

Hamamelis virginiana

Scientic classication Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Core eudicots Order: Saxifragales

Growth

The witch-hazels are deciduous shrubs or (rarely) Family: Hamamelidaceae small trees growing to 38 metres (9.826 ft) tall, Genus: Hamamelis rarely to 12 metres (39 ft) tall. The leaves are Gronov. ex L. alternately arranged, oval, 416 centimetres (1.66.3 in) long and 311 centimetres (1.24.3 in) Species broad, with a smooth or wavy margin. The genus name, Hamamelis, means "together with fruit", Hamamelis japonica referring to the simultaneous occurrence of owers Hamamelis mollis [5] H. with the maturing fruit from the previous year. Hamamelis ovalis virginiana owers in the fall of the year. The owers of Hamamelis vernalis the other species are produced on the leaess stems in Hamamelis virginiana winter. Each ower has four slender strap-shaped petals 12 centimetres (0.390.79 in) long, pale to dark yellow, orange, or red. The fruit is a two-part capsule 1 centimetre (0.39 in) long, containing a single 5 millimetres (0.20 in) glossy black seed in each of the two parts; the capsule splits explosively at maturity in the autumn about 8 months after owering, ejecting the seeds with sucient force to y for

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distances of up to 10 metres (33 ft), thus another alternative name "Snapping Hazel". [4]

Etymology
The name Witch in witch-hazel has its origins in Middle English wiche, from the Old [6] "Witch hazel" was used in England as a English wice, meaning "pliant" or "bendable". [7] American colonists simply extended the synonym for Wych Elm, Ulmus glabra; [citation needed] The use of the twigs as divining rods, just familiar name to the new shrub. as hazel twigs were used in England, may also have, by folk etymology, inuenced the "witch" part of the name.

Genera
The Persian Ironwood, a closely related tree formerly treated as Hamamelis persica, is now given a genus of its own, as Parrotia persica, as it diers in the owers not having petals. Other closely allied genera are Parrotiopsis, Fothergilla and Sycopsis (see under Hamamelidaceae). Witch-hazels are not closely related to the true Corylus hazels, though they have a few supercially similar characteristics which may cause one to believe that they are.

Cultivation and uses

They are popular ornamental plants, grown for their clusters of rich yellow to orange-red owers which begin to expand in the autumn as or slightly before the leaves fall, and continue throughout the winter.

Garden shrubs
Hamamelis virginiana was introduced into English gardens by Peter Collinson, who maintained correspondence with plant hunters in the American colonies. In gardens the American H. virginiana has been superseded, except for historical garden restoration or for American native plant enthusiasts, by the more decorative Hamamelis mollis, which owers in earliest spring, on the bare branches, instead of hiding its fall blooms among golden autumn foliage. The plant-hunter Charles Maries collected for Veitch Nurseries in the Chinese district of Jiujiang in 1879. It languished in nursery rows for years until it [8] Numerous cultivars have was noticed, propagated and put on the market in 1902. been selected for use as garden shrubs, many of them derived from the hybrid H. intermedia Rehder (H. japonica H. mollis). Jelena and Robert de Belder of Arboretum Kalmthout, selecting for red cultivars, found three: the rst, with bronze owers, was named 'Jelena'; the next, with red owers, was named 'Diane' (the name of their daughter); the last, with deep red owers, was called 'Livia' (the name of their granddaughter).

Medicinal uses
Main article: Witch hazel (astringent)

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The leaves and bark of the North American Witch-hazel Hamamelis virginiana may be [9] also referred to as witch hazel, and is used used to produce an astringent, medicinally. This plant extract was widely used for medicinal purposes by American [9] Indians and is a component of a variety of commercial healthcare products. It's mainly used externally on sores, bruises, and swelling. Witch hazel hydrosol is used in skin care. It is a strong anti-oxidant and astringent, which makes it very useful in [9] It is often used as a natural remedy for psoriasis, eczema, aftershave ghting acne. applications, ingrown nails, to prevent sweating of the face, cracked or blistered skin, for treating insect bites, poison ivy, and as a treatment for varicose veins and [10] It is found in numerous over-the-counter hemorrhoid preparations.[11] hemorrhoids. It is recommended to women to reduce swelling and soothe wounds resulting from [12] childbirth.

Ecology
Hamamelis species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Feathered Thorn.

Gallery

Hamamelis sp. owers, Menai Bridge, Wales.

Hamamelis in Frth City Park (Germany), 2004-02-08.

Hamamelis in the Colonial Park Arboretum and Gardens.

Hamamelis intermedia (H. japonica H. mollis)

Hamamelis japonica close-up owers

Hamamelis intermedia 'Jelena'

Hamamelis intermedia 'Diane'

Hamamelis mollis tree in autumn

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Hamamelis mollis in autumn

Hamamelis mollis leaves in autumn

Notes
1. ^ Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606607 2. ^ Hamamelis ovalis S. W. Leonard (2006) (http://www.ars-grin.gov/~sbmljw/cgi-bin /taxon.pl?454356) , GRIN Taxonomy for Plants 3. ^ Noted in Ernest Thompson Seton, The Book of Woodcraft and Indian Lore (1921:422), but rare. 4. ^ a b http://www.witchhazel.com/about.htm Dickinson's Witch Hazel, commercially available witch hazel-based products 5. ^ Hiker's Notebook: Witch Hazel (http://www.sierrapotomac.org/W_Needham /Witch_Hazel_041003.htm) 6. ^ Douglas Harper (2001). "witch hazel" (http://www.etymonline.com /index.php?term=witch+hazel) . Online Etymology Dictionary. http://www.etymonline.com /index.php?term=witch+hazel. 7. ^ First occurrence 1541 (OED, s.v. "Witch hazel"). 8. ^ Alice M. Coats, Garden Shrubs and Their Histories (1964) 1992, s.v. "Hamamelis". 9. ^ a b c Steven Foster, Witch hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, Article and Photos (http://www.stevenfoster.com/education/monograph/witchhazel.html) , Steven Foster Group], retrieved April 14, 2012 10. ^ Witch Hazel Overview Information (http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements /ingredientmono-227-WITCH%20HAZEL.aspx?activeIngredientId=227& activeIngredientName=WITCH%20HAZEL) , WebMD, accessed April 14, 2012 11. ^ Michael C. Bingham, Which Witch Is Witch Hazel (and Which Dickinson Makes It)? (http://www.conntact.com/archive_index/archive_pages/3210_Business_New_Haven.html) , Connecticut Business Journal, 20 October 1997. 12. ^ http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/postpartum-care/PR00142

References
Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan. Trees of Pennsylvania and the Northeast, ISBN 0-8117-2092, Charles Fergus, Stackpole Books, (2002), pp 1569.

External links
Flora of China: Hamamelis (http://www.eoras.org/orataxon.aspx?ora_id=2&

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Witch-hazel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch-hazel

taxon_id=114541) Flora of North America: Hamamelis (http://www.eoras.org /orataxon.aspx?ora_id=1&taxon_id=114541)

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