- Region
- North America
- Origin
- Woodlands of eastern North America. Hamamelis virginiana
North America · Herb · № 152
Hamamelis virginiana
Herb · North America
Witch hazel
Hamamelis virginiana
Strongly astringent due to tannins. Witch hazel water and ointment are used externally for minor skin irritation, bruises and haemorrhoids; there is limited but reasonably supportive evidence.
Safety notes
Well tolerated externally; may irritate sensitive skin. Do not take large amounts internally. Always have blood in the stool checked.
Cautions by tradition (3)
- Natural skin and hair care: Keep out of the eyes; apply toners outside the eye area.
- Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) medicine: High in tannin: not internally for long.
- Cherokee (Tsalagi) medicine: Do not take it for long.
Preparation
Externally as distilled water, ointment or compress. No dosage is given here.
Use in traditions
Indigenous peoples such as the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) used bark decoctions for swellings and inflammation. Settlers used the twigs as divining rods, which may explain the English name.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Herbal medicine worldwide
Attributed effects
Astringent, stops internal and external bleeding, anti-inflammatory.
Preparation and amount
Leaf tea for diarrhoea and bleeding haemorrhoids; gargle for sore throat, mouth ulcers and bleeding gums; wash for varicose veins, bruises and skin rashes; witch hazel water as a nasal plug for nosebleeds and on grazes; eye compress for tired eyes; ointment for haemorrhoids and varicose veins.
Natural skin and hair care
Attributed effects
Astringent and cooling thanks to its tannins; suitable for oily skin and after sun.
Preparation and amount
External: witch hazel water in toners, sprays, an eye gel and a healing facial tonic (see the recipes).
Caution: Keep out of the eyes; apply toners outside the eye area.
Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) medicine
Attributed effects
As a spring emetic; for cough, colds and bruises, and as a medicine 'for anything evil'.
Preparation and amount
Scrape the bark upwards and boil it as an emetic; boil young twigs as a tea.
Caution: High in tannin: not internally for long.
Cherokee (Tsalagi) medicine
Attributed effects
For colds, fever, a sore throat and period pains; as a wash for sores and skinned places, and the leaves rubbed on scratches.
Preparation and amount
A tea of leaves and twigs; externally as a wash.
Caution: Do not take it for long.
Folklore and herbal magic
Symbolic meanings from folk use and modern herbal magic. These are handed-down associations, not effects.
Protection, finding lost objects, emotions in balance, helps with loss, healing, peace.
Herbal magic and rituals
Attributed effects
In herbal magic associated with protection, finding what is hidden and emotional balance.
Preparation and amount
Indigenous peoples in North America, among them the Haudenosaunee and Mohegan, boiled the bark and twigs for compresses on swellings and inflammation; European settlers adopted this. Forked branches were used as divining rods to find water, and the shrub flowers in the middle of winter.
Home, kitchen and folk use
Attributed effects
Astringent; helps with bruises and swellings.
Preparation and amount
As a compress for bruises and swellings; extract as an astringent.
- Ways to prepare herbs
- Tea (infusion)Salve and balmCompress, poultice and paste
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org
- Penelope Ody, The Complete Medicinal Herbal (1993; 2017)
- Stacey Dugliss-Wesselman & Susan Gregg, Herbal Remedies Made Simple (2018)
- James W. Herrick, Iroquois Medical Botany, ed. Dean R. Snow (1995)
- Paul B. Hamel & Mary U. Chiltoskey, Cherokee Plants and Their Uses: A 400 Year History (1975)