Witch Hazel

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Witch-hazel

Hamamelis virginiana

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae

(unranked): Angiosperms

(unranked): Eudicots

(unranked): Core eudicots

Order: Saxifragales

Family: Hamamelidaceae

Genus: Hamamelis

Gronov. ex L.

Species

Hamamelis japonica

Hamamelis mollisHamamelis ovalisHamamelis vernalisHamamelis virginiana

Witch-hazelFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Witch-hazel (Hamamelis, pron.: /hmmils/)[1]

is agenus offlowering plants in the familyHamamelidaceae, with three species in North America

(H. ovalis,

[2]

H. virginiana andH. vernalis), and oneeach in Japan (H. japonica) and China (H. mollis). TheNorth American species are occasionally called

winterbloom.[3][4]

Contents

1 Growth2 Etymology

3 Genera4 Cultivation and uses

4.1 Garden shrubs4.2 Medicinal uses

5 Ecology6 Gallery7 Notes8 References9 External links

Growth

The witch-hazels are deciduous shrubs or (rarely)small trees growing to 38 metres (9.826 ft) tall,rarely to 12 metres (39 ft) tall. The leaves arealternately arranged, oval, 416 centimetres(1.66.3 in) long and 311 centimetres (1.24.3 in)broad, with a smooth or wavy margin. The genusname,Hamamelis, means "together with fruit",

referring to the simultaneous occurrence offl

owerswith the maturing fruit from the previous year.[5]H.virginianaflowers in the fall of the year. The flowers ofthe other species are produced on the leafless stems inwinter. Each flower has four slender strap-shapedpetals 12 centimetres (0.390.79 in) long, pale todark yellow, orange, or red. The fruit is a two-partcapsule 1 centimetre (0.39 in) long, containing a single 5 millimetres (0.20 in) glossyblack seed in each of the two parts; the capsule splits explosively at maturity in theautumn about 8 months after flowering, ejecting the seeds with sufficient force to fly for

h-hazel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witc

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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

English wice, meaning "pliant" or "bendable".[6]

"Witch hazel" was used in England as a

synonym for Wych Elm, Ulmus glabra;

[7]

American colonists simply extended thefamiliar name to the new shrub.[citation needed] The use of the twigs as divining rods, justas hazel twigs were used in England, may also have, by folk etymology, influenced the"witch" part of the name.

Genera

The Persian Ironwood, a closely related tree formerly treated asHamamelis persica, isnow given a genus of its own, asParrotia persica, as it differs in the flowers not havingpetals. Other closely allied genera areParrotiopsis,Fothergilla and Sycopsis (see under

Hamamelidaceae). Witch-hazels are not closely related to the true Corylus hazels,though they have a few superficially similar characteristics which may cause one tobelieve that they are.

Cultivation and uses

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

Garden shrubs

Hamamelis virginiana was introduced into English gardens by Peter Collinson, whomaintained correspondence with plant hunters in the American colonies. In gardens theAmericanH. virginiana has been superseded, except for historical garden restoration orfor American native plant enthusiasts, by the more decorativeHamamelis mollis, whichflowers in earliest spring, on the bare branches, instead of hiding its fall blooms amonggolden autumn foliage. The plant-hunter Charles Maries collected for Veitch Nurseriesin the Chinese district of Jiujiang in 1879. It languished in nursery rows for years until it

was noticed, propagated and put on the market in 1902.[8]

Numerous cultivars havebeen selected for use as garden shrubs, many of them derived from the hybridH. intermedia Rehder (H. japonica H. mollis). Jelena and Robert de Belder ofArboretum Kalmthout, selecting for red cultivars, found three: thefirst, with bronzeflowers, was named 'Jelena'; the next, with red flowers, was named 'Diane' (the name oftheir daughter); the last, with deep red flowers, was called 'Livia' (the name of theirgranddaughter).

Medicinal uses

Main article: Witch hazel (astringent)


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The leaves and bark of the North American Witch-hazelHamamelis virginiana may be

used to produce an astringent,[9]

also referred to as witch hazel, and is usedmedicinally. This plant extract was widely used for medicinal purposes by American

Indians and is a component of a variety of commercial healthcare products.[9]

It's mainly used externally on sores, bruises, and swelling. Witch hazel hydrosol is usedin skin care. It is a strong anti-oxidant and astringent, which makes it very useful in

fighting acne.[9]

It is often used as a natural remedy for psoriasis, eczema, aftershaveapplications, 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

hemorrhoids.[10]

It is found in numerous over-the-counter hemorrhoid preparations.[11]

It is recommended to women to reduce swelling and soothe wounds resulting from

childbirth.[12]

Ecology

Hamamelis species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species

including Feathered Thorn.

Gallery

Hamamelis sp.flowers, MenaiBridge, Wales.

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

Hamamelis in theColonial Park

Arboretum andGardens.

Hamamelisintermedia(H. japonica

H. mollis)

Hamamelisjaponicaclose-up flowers

Hamamelisintermedia'Jelena'

Hamamelisintermedia'Diane'

Hamamelis mollistree in autumn


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Hamamelis mollisin autumn

Hamamelis mollisleaves in autumn

Notes

^Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:6066071.^Hamamelis ovalis S. W. Leonard (2006) (http://www.ars-grin.gov/~sbmljw/cgi-bin/taxon.pl?454356) , GRIN Taxonomy for Plants

2.

^ Noted in Ernest Thompson Seton, The Book of Woodcraft and Indian Lore (1921:422),but rare.

3.

^ ab http://www.witchhazel.com/about.htm Dickinson's Witch Hazel, commerciallyavailable witch hazel-based products

4.

^ Hiker's Notebook: Witch Hazel (http://www.sierrapotomac.org/W_Needham/Witch_Hazel_041003.htm)

5.

^ 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.

6.

^ First occurrence 1541 (OED, s.v. "Witch hazel").7.^ Alice M. Coats, Garden Shrubs and Their Histories (1964) 1992, s.v. "Hamamelis".8.

^ abc Steven Foster, Witch hazel,Hamamelis virginiana, Article and Photos(http://www.stevenfoster.com/education/monograph/witchhazel.html) , Steven FosterGroup], retrieved April 14, 2012

9.

^ 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

10.

^ 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.

11.

^ http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/postpartum-care/PR0014212.

ReferencesHuxley, A., ed. (1992).New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan.

Trees of Pennsylvania and the Northeast, ISBN 0-8117-2092, Charles Fergus, StackpoleBooks, (2002), pp 1569.

External links

Flora of China:Hamamelis (http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&


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taxon_id=114541)Flora of North America:Hamamelis (http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=114541)

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Witch-hazel&oldid=528099068"

Categories: Hamamelidaceae Medicinal plants

This page was last modified on 15 December 2012 at 02:09.Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License;additional terms may apply. See Terms of Use for details.Wikipedia is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., anon-profit organization.


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