Their seemingly dainty flowers, consisting of four thin, ribbonlike flowers, brave the worst weather. They give color and fragrance when there is little else in the garden, and bring hope for the renewal of spring.
Witch hazels offer more than just off-season flowers.
Their green summer foliage explodes into dramatic golden, orange, and red hues in autumn. European settlers used the bark from the young twigs and roots of the widespread North American woodland species Hamamelis virginiana to extract the popular concoction witch hazel, still sometimes used as mouthwash, ointment, compress, and astringent. Read our Privacy Policy . Inc. All rights reserved.