Connecticut's Magic Elixir: Witch Hazel

This column was posted by Jason Vallee. It was written by Philip R. Devlin, our Connecticut history columnist.

April marks the end of Connecticut's annual harvest of witch hazel — a plant believed to be endowed with magical powers.

It is no exaggeration to state that Connecticut is the center of the witch hazel universe. The T.N. Dickinson family of Essex first mass-produced witch hazel in a distillery in the mid-nineteenth century. The business has since been consolidated and centered in "Belltown, USA" — East Hampton — at the American Distillery Inc., at 31 East High Street. Hamamelis Virginiana — the witch hazel plant — can be found throughout the Northeast and in parts of Canada, but it is especially abundant in Connecticut.

Native American Indians had long recognized the special properties of witch hazel well before European settlers had arrived here. Belief in the special properties of witch hazel most likely stemmed from its peculiar blooming pattern. Like all deciduous trees, the plant does drop its leaves in the fall; however, unlike the vast majority of plant life, the witch hazel plant actually flowers in the winter!

In fact, the American Indians called the plant "winterbloom" and boiled its leaves and twigs to create a distilled liquid that became a kind of panacea for every malady: cuts, bruises, burns, indigestion, constipation, internal bleeding, etc. Witch hazel's powerful astringent properties, unique odor, and curative powers can be attributed largely to the presence of hamamelitannins — a unique type of tannin.

Another "magical" aspect of witch hazel is its amazing regenerative powers. When harvested, the plant is usually cut right to ground level. Despite such a severe pruning, the witch hazel plant will completely grow back within seven years and be ready for harvesting once again. This remarkable attribute is linked to its widespread use as an ingredient in dozens of health and beauty products as an anti-aging and anti-wrinkling agent and skin toner. Visit EBay and search for "witch hazel." You’ll find dozens of products there touting its regenerative powers.

Yet another widespread belief about the magic of witch hazel centers around its use as a divining rod for dowsing. A Y-shaped witch hazel stick was and is still widely used by dowsers to locate the presence of underground water for wells. As a young man, the patriarch of Mormonism — Joseph Smith — also used witch hazel rods frequently for treasure hunting.
In an 1888 publication entitled Naked Truths About Mormonism, the following quotation appears: "Joe claimed he could tell where money was buried with a witch hazel consisting of a forked stick of hazel. He held it and claimed the upper end was attracted by the money." Later in the same publication, there occurs another reference to Smith and witch hazel rods: "Young Joe had a forked witch-hazel rod with which he claimed he could located buried money or hidden things." Smith's New England roots undoubtedly were the source of his own strong beliefs in the special power of the witch hazel plant.

We get a hint about another special property of the witch hazel plant from its scientific name Hamamelis Virginiana. "Virginiana" means "of Virginia" and simply refers to the fact that the entire eastern part of America was originally referred to as "Virginia."

However, "Hamamelis" provides us with a clue about another special property of the witch hazel plant, as it means "together with its fruit." This refers to the peculiarity of the plant to have its flowers and fruit exist on the same plant at the same time — something absolutely unique in nature.

And, of course, unlike any other plant in the New England forest, the bright yellow flowers and fruit appear together in the dead of winter — a fact that did not escape the discerning eye of naturalist Henry David Thoreau. He writes in his book A Week On The Concord And Merrimack Rivers: "There is something witch-like in the appearance of the witch-hazel … Its blossoming … at this irregular period, when other shrubs have lost their leaves, as well as blossoms, looks like witches’ craft."

The term "witch" as it refers to the witch hazel plant is most likely derived from the Old English word "wiche" — a word that means "flexible." The branches of the plant are very flexible; in fact, Native American Indians often used the wood of the witch hazel — which can grow up to 15 feet high — for making bows. The term "hazel" most likely references the fact that the leaves of the witch hazel plant resemble leaves of the hazelnut tree, although the two plants are unrelated.

If you are out in the woods and want to find a witch hazel plant, keep in mind that it is classified as an "understory" plant in a hardwood forest. It will probably be 6-10 feet in height and looks more like a shrub than a tree. Its leaves are oval in shape with serrated edges and are about 3-5 inches long with an asymmetrical base. The plant has spiraling twigs; that is to say, the base of the twigs looks as if something is tightly wound around it. The branches, of course, are known for their flexibility.

The easiest way, however, to find the witch hazel is to walk in a hardwood forest in the winter. Its distinctive yellow flower and fruit make it the cynosure of the winter forest, but be careful and don’t get your face too close! The seed pod located next to the fruit on the branch of the witch hazel plant has plenty of pent-up energy. The pods will burst with such authority in the winter that the seeds will be cast up to 30 feet! Just another unique attribute of this most fascinating plant.

About this column: This Week In Connecticut History retraces the notable people, places, and events that happened in our area.

Make sure to like Southington Patch on Facebook and follow on Twitter for breaking news, daily updates and more!