of New York 



87 



WITCH-HAZEL 



Hamamelis virginiana, Linnaeus 



THE WITCH-HAZEL is a very interesting small tree. It has 

 the unusual habit of blossoming late in autumn and a 

 full year elapses between the appearance of its flowers and the 

 maturing of its unusual fruit. 



The leaves are simple, alternate, oval, 4 to 6 inches long, 

 usually rounded at apex, oblique 

 at base, coarsely toothed along 

 margin, with prominent veins. 



The flowers appear in Octo- 

 ber or November. They are 

 bright yellow, and occur in few- 

 flowered clusters. 



The fruit ripens in October 

 or November with the flowers. 

 It is a yellowish-brown woody 

 pod with two cells in which 

 black shiny seeds are produced. 

 The seeds are often propelled 

 five or more feet when seed pods 

 burst open. 



The bark is light - brown, 

 somewhat mottled with light 

 blotches. The twigs are light- 

 brown, smooth, zigzag. The 

 buds are flattish, curved, brown, 

 hairy. The terminal bud is 

 sickle-shaped, about one-third 

 of an inch long. Flower buds 

 are small, round, occur on slen- 

 der stalks. 



WITCH-HAZEL 



Single flower and fruit pod, enlarged. 



One-fourth natural size. 



The wood is hard, light-brown, close-grained, 

 commercially. 



Not used 



The Witch-hazel is found from Nova Scotia to Minne- 

 sota, south to Florida and Texas. It is found in most sec- 

 tions of New York, except in the higher elevations of the 

 Adirondacks. Moist and rocky situations are its favorite 

 home. It is very tolerant of shade, which accounts for its 

 being found commonly in the understory of the forest. 



