Scientific Name: Hamamelis virginiana L.
Family: Hamamelidaceae (Witch-hazel Family)
Common name: Witch-hazel
Description: Large shrub or small tree which may reach heights of 30-35 feet; flowers October-December.
Range and Habitat: Common throughout the state in rich or dry woods.
In Porcher’s time… Witch-hazel bark was used topically to soothe painful swellings, hemorrhoids, and tumors. It was also made into a poultice and tea and used as an astringent for the treatment of bleeding stomach ulcers.
See the historical entry on this plant as it appears in Resources of the Southern Fields and Forests