witch-hazel

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• American witch-hazel
• northern witch-hazel
• witch-hazel
• American Witchhzel
• Common Witchhzel
• Snapping Hazelnut
• Spotted Alder
• Striped Alder
• Water-Witch
• Winterbloom
• Common Witchhazel
• common witch-hazel
• southern witch-hazel

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Trilopus virginiana

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Hamamelis virginiana, belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae in the order Saxifragales. Ultimately, it is a member of the Hamamelidaceae family within the genus Hamamelis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is native to specific regions across North America. In Eastern Canada, its range extends through the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. It is also widely distributed across the territories of Ontario and Québec. Moving south into the North-Central U.S.A., the species can be found in Illinois. These locations define the primary geographical footprint of Hamamelis virginiana.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Hamamelis virginiana is characterized by its status as a perennial species, meaning it lives for many years and follows a long-term developmental cycle rather than completing its life in a single season. As a perennial shrub or small tree, it establishes a robust woody structure that undergoes seasonal changes, transitioning through periods of dormancy during the winter months and active growth during the warmer seasons. Its lifecycle involves a complex reproductive strategy where it produces distinctive, strap-shaped flowers in late autumn or early winter, often while the plant is in a state of semi-dormancy. This unique timing allows the plant to utilize specific pollinators active during the cooler months. Following flowering, the plant transitions into a vegetative growth phase in the spring, utilizing stored energy from its perennial root system to produce lush foliage, which eventually supports the continued expansion of its woody biomass and the eventual production of seeds to facilitate the next generation.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Hamamelis virginiana is characterized by its robust and woody growth habit, manifesting primarily as a tree or large shrub. This species exhibits a significant stature, reaching an average plant height of approximately 7.01 m. As a woody plant, it develops a sturdy structural framework that is entirely self-supporting, requiring no external climbing structures to maintain its upright posture.

Climber :

self-supporting

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Plant height mean:

7.01 m

Woodiness :

woody

Reproduction

The reproduction of Hamamelis virginiana is characterized by a distinct flowering period that spans a wide temporal range, beginning as early as December and concluding around November, though the exact timing can be variable. The plant produces seeds with a specific mass profile, featuring a mean seed mass of approximately 0.073 g, while individual seeds range from a minimum of 0.04628 g to a maximum of 0.3 g. Regarding the movement of its progeny, the species utilizes a zoochorous dispersal syndrome, relying on animals to aid in the distribution of its seeds.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Flowering time :

Dec

Flowering time :

Nov

Seed mass max:

0.3 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0730277776666667 g

Seed mass min:

0.04628 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Hamamelis virginiana has 1 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Frontiers in microbiology
2. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

Chemicals

Hamamelis virginiana has 41 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Tannins, Gallic acid, Hamamelitannin, Proanthocyanidins, kaempferol.

Tannins

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Planta medica

Gallic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Ceska a Slovenska farmacie : casopis Ceske farmaceuticke spolecnosti a Slovenske farmaceuticke spolecnosti
3. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
4. Journal of mass spectrometry : JMS

Hamamelitannin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta medica
3. Journal of mass spectrometry : JMS

Proanthocyanidins

1. Dental materials : official publication of the Academy of Dental Materials
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

kaempferol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Ceska a Slovenska farmacie : casopis Ceske farmaceuticke spolecnosti a Slovenske farmaceuticke spolecnosti

quercetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Ceska a Slovenska farmacie : casopis Ceske farmaceuticke spolecnosti a Slovenske farmaceuticke spolecnosti

2-(4-hydroxyphenyl) ethanol

1. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

3,4-DIHYDROXYBENZOIC ACID

1. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

3-Hydroxybenzoic acid

1. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

ALPHA-IONONE

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Hamamelis virginiana has 281 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Analgesic, Antiviral, Astringent, 11B-HSD-Inhibitor.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Cureus
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Communications biology

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta medica

Astringent

1. Dr. Duke
2. Cureus

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ATPase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Addictive

1. Dr. Duke

Aldehyde-Oxidase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Hamamelis virginiana has 10 reported investigations on conditions identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Erythema, Inflammation, adjuvant arthritis, analgesic, bacteria.

Erythema

1. European journal of clinical pharmacology

Inflammation

1. European journal of clinical pharmacology

Adjuvant arthritis

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Analgesic

1. Communications biology

Bacteria

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Bleeding

1. Cureus

Fungi

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Inflammation

1. Communications biology

Pain

1. Cureus

Viruses

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Preparations

Hamamelis virginiana has 1 reported preparations identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include extracts.

Extracts

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR