Witnessed by: Western
Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), of the Hamamelidaceae family. Deciduous shrub flowering with spidery yellow petals in late autumn; native range: moist woodlands of eastern North America. Globally recognized as spotted alder, snapping hazelnut, winterbloom in English. The part used is leaf and bark. Astringent and bitterish, slightly aromatic.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
WITCH HAZEL
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- witch hazel
- Scientific name
- Hamamelis virginiana L.
- Family
- Hamamelidaceae
Form
- Part used
- leaf and bark
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Western
- astringent · bitter
Temperature
- Western
- cool, drying
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Western
- circulation · blood · skin · mucous membranes
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Western
- astringent, haemostatic, anti-inflammatory, venotonic, styptic
Cautions
- Contraindications
- distilled water is intended for external use; internal use limited by tannin content
- Toxicity
- low; large internal doses may cause gastric upset from tannins
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