WITCH-HAZEL (Hamamelis virginiana)
Witch-Hazel stands out as a fascinating example of biodiversity, being among the few trees that bloom in the autumn and possess the capability to eject seeds up to 10 meters away. As with many nut-bearing trees deer, mice and squirrels feast on the harvest produced. It also supports more than 27 lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species ranging from Striped Hairstreak butterfly to moths such as Saddleback and Curve-lined Looper, Small Phigalia, Mustard Sallow, Oak Beauty, Elm Spanworm, Alien Probole, The Bruce Spanworm and Spotted Apatelodes.
Witch-Hazel blooms in autumn, featuring flowers that bear a resemblance to witch-like hair, possibly contributing to the origin of the plant’s common name. Another theory is that the name came from Early American settlers, who utilized the forked branches of the witch hazel plant for water divination, a practice similar to the European tradition of dowsing with hazel branches. This historical method of locating underground water sources is often referred to as “witching a well.”
