Witch hazel, << HAY zuhl, >> is a shrub or small tree used to make a soothing lotion. Witch hazel grows in the eastern United States and Canada. Its jointed, twisting branches point in all directions. The forked twigs have been used for divining rods, and the name witch hazel comes from this use by superstitious people. Witch hazel is also called tobaccowood, spotted alder, or winterbloom.
After the leaves have died, in October or November, witch hazel bears its flowers. They grow in feathery, golden clusters. The fruits do not ripen until the next year. Then the seeds shoot from their small woody capsules to a distance of several yards or meters.
Witch hazel lotion, or hamamelin, is a tonic and healing astringent, applied on the skin or taken internally. It is made by distilling the bark and leaves in alcohol. People use the lotion to treat bruises, sprains, hemorrhoids, ulcers, bleeding, and skin troubles.
