Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center

Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)

witch hazel – Overall

OVERALL APPEARANCE
Photo courtesy to Monica Marcelli.

witch hazel – leaf

LEAF DETAIL
Photo courtesy to Monica Marcelli.

witch hazel – fruit

IMMATURE FRUIT
Photo courtesy to Monica Marcelli.

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Taxonomy

Family Hamamelidaceae 

Genus: Hamamelis  

Species: Hamamelis virginiana 

Common names:  (“Hamamelis virginiana, 2023”)(TWC Staff, 2022)

  • Witch-hazel, common witch-hazel, American witch-hazel 
  • Beadwood
  • Winterbloom
  • Snapping Hazelnut
  • Striped Alder, Spotted Alder
  • Tobacco-wood
  • Water-witch   
Morphology

Type: Deciduous Shrub 

Size:  6m in cultivation and 9m in its native habitat (Hamamelis virginiana, n.d.). In unusual circumstances, it may grow up to 11m in height.   

Leaves: oval to obovate alternate simple 8 to 20 cm long (TWC Staff, 2022; “Hamamelis virginiana, 2023”; Shetler, 2002)

Flowers: four yellow, orange or red petals that are 2.5 cm. Showy and fragrant.  It is pollinated by insects.   Flowers form clusters and bloom from October to December (“Hamamelis virginiana, 2023”; TWC Staff, 2022; Hamamelis virginiana, n.d). Flower and fruit are produced simultaneously, it expels its seeds to approximately 9m from the plant, making a sound (Robinia pseudoacacia, n.d).

Fruit:  greenish capsule develops into a brownish woody fruit 10 to 14 mm long containing 2 shiny black seeds.  Fruits last from winter to the fall (“Hamamelis virginiana, 2023”; TWC Staff, 2022; Shetler, 2002; Hamamelis virginiana, n.d.) 

Growth and Attributes

Reproduction: pollinated by moths (“Hamamelis virginiana, 2023”) 

Habitat: moist woods, thickets, bottomlands, forest margins and stream banks (TWC Staff, 2022; Hamamelis virginiana, n.d.) 

Distribution:  Eastern United States  USDA distribution map (USDA NRCS National Plant Data Team) 

Cultivation: ideal is a moist, organic, acidic, and rich soil. However, it can tolerate dry poor soils and clay soils. Grows in a variety of soils from sandy to clay. Light requirement varies between partial shade to sunny locations. It requires pruning as needed (Shetler, 2002; Hamamelis virginiana, n.d.).  Ideal conditions are moist organically rich loams (Robinia pseudoacacia, n.d). It tolerates erosion and clay soil (Hamamelis virginiana, n.d).    

Conservation status: Least concern  

Ecosystem value: bird shelter (“Hamamelis virginiana, 2023; TWC Staff, 2022; Hamamelis virginiana, n.d)

Human uses: medicinal, perfumes, lotions, ornamental, tea, hedges, naturalize, rain gardens, shrub borders and woodland gardens (“Hamamelis virginiana, 2023; TWC Staff, 2022; Hamamelis virginiana, n.d)     

Pests: Witch-hazel cone gall aphid and Japanese beetles (Hamamelis virginiana, n.d.; Witch-hazel cone gall aphid, 2023) 

Unique Characteristics: hosts 62 caterpillar species  (Robinia pseudoacacia, n.d)(TWC Staff, 2022; “Hamamelis virginiana, 2023”; Shetler, 2002).  It was also the wildflower of the year 2002, first discovered in Virginia (Shetler, 2002).  

Deer tolerance:  It tolerates deer 

Wetland plant status: there are 2 wetland regions in VA:  

  • Mountains and Piedmonts and Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain American
  • Witch-Hazel is facultative upland (FACU) for both regions.    

Recommended Reading

Global biodiversity information facility (GBIF) listing 

Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora Species Distribution Map   

 

References

Hamamelis virginiana. (2023, April 13). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamamelis_virginiana  

 Hamamelis virginiana (n.d.). Missouri botanical garden.  https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a749 

Hamamelis virginiana. (n.d.) Us Army Corps of Engineers.  https://wetland-plants.sec.usace.army.mil/nwpl_static/v34/species/species.html?DET=001100# 

Shetler, S.G. (2002, February 25). 2002 Witch Hazel (Hamamelis Virginiana). Virginia Native Plant Society  https://vnps.org/2002-witch-hazel-hamamelis-virginiana/ 

  TWC Staff. (2022-10-18). Hamamelis virginiana.  Plant Database. Ladybird Johnson Wildlife Center. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=HAVI4 

USDA NRCS National Plant Data Team. Hamamelis virginiana L. American witchhazel. United States Department of Agriculture  https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=HAVI4 

Coauthored by Monica Marcelli & Adrian Hagarty, 2023.