Hamamelis virginiana L.

Eastern Witch-Hazel

© DETenaglia

Family - Hamamelidaceae

Habit - Shrubs to 6 m tall, suckering but without underground runners.

	Flowering plant.
© Kbildner

Stems - Twigs sparsely to moderately stellate-hairy.

Leaves - Alternate, petiolate, simple, stipulate, turning yellow to orangish yellow and generally falling promptly in the autumn. Petioles 7-18 mm long. Leaf blades 9-15 cm long, 5-10 cm wide, ovate to obovate, the base strongly asymmetrical, rounded to cordate on 1 side, narrowed on the other, the tip broadly and bluntly tapered or narrowed, the undersurface pale green but not glaucous.

	Leaves.
© DETenaglia

Inflorescence - Stalked axillary clusters of mostly 3 flowers.

	Inflorescences.
© Kbildner

Flowers - faintly fragrant. Petals 15-20 mm long when fresh (shrinking to 8-12 mm long in the herbarium), generally yellow, rarely reddish. Staminodes strongly broadened toward the tip.

	Flower.
© DETenaglia

	Calyx.
© DETenaglia

	Fruit.
© DETenaglia

Flowering - September - December.

Habitat - Wooded slopes, flats, and creek banks, on limestone and granite substrate.

Origin - Native to the U.S.

Other info. - This species is fairly rare in Missouri, only being found in a few eastern Ozark counties. Beyond Missouri it is found extensively both to the south and to the east. The plant is easy to ID in the field, especially while in flower, because of its unique leaves and distinct flowers. This is a shrubby tree that can have multiple stems from the base and can reach 4 m tall.

Medicinally, this species is used widely. It was used by natives for many ailments ranging from colds to sore muscles. In modern medicine, products made from this species can be purchased at any grocery store or pharmacy.

Another species, H. vernalis, is more common in Missouri. It flowers in the early spring. In the wild H. vernalis grows in gravel bars along streams.

Photographs taken at Pilot Knob State Park, NC., 10-20-02 (DETenaglia); also at Taum Sauk State Park, Iron County, MO, 10-25-2024 (KBildner).