Sunday, February 11, 2024

HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE!

Thank you for all the well wishes here, in texts and in my e-mails.  I am feeling almost back to normal after my short break. I love our blogging community for the kind and thoughtful people you are. I will be answering your comments and visiting your blogs over the next few days. I have missed doing that and look forward to catching up with you all.

It was good to get out today.  The temperature was 63 degrees, cloudy skies but perfect walking weather.  We drove to Meadowlark Gardens.  Our last visit was in September of last year.  I will be sharing more photos this coming week, but today I show one of favorites.  I was delighted to see the Witch Hazel blooming.


I have shared it before and may be repeating myself. The Haverford College website is a wealth of interesting information. Click here to read more.


"Witch hazel is a winter-blooming shrub. It can reach a height of 12 to 15 feet and is considered either a large shrub or a small tree.  It is a hardy perennial with fragrant, wispy yellow to orange flowers and are from the family Hamamelidaceae. 

Native to eastern North America, it may be found growing along woodland margins and stream banks from Canada to Mexico. The genus name Hamamelis comes from the Greek word hama for ‘at the same time’ and melon, which means fruit and refers to the fact that the plant can have both flowers and fruits appear at the same time, a somewhat rare feature. The species name virginiana means the plant is from Virginia.

 A year after blooming, the fruit capsules mature and eventually split open to release seeds.  Once dry, the witch hazel's capsules can catapult the small seeds as far as 30 feet.  This is the only tree in North America to have flowers, fruit and next year's leaf buds all at once. You will see it brightening up the forest throughout the autumn and the winter months, providing a source of food for birds, deer and other small mammals that eat its fruit capsules and seeds.

Witch hazel has a long history and has been used by people for centuries. Widely known for its medicinal and cosmetic uses, the extract from the leaves, bark and twigs of witch hazel have been used as an astringent to treat irritated skin and inflamed tissues for hundreds of years. Native Americans used the plant to treat the common cold, eye and liver conditions and other illnesses. Early settlers also used the leaves to make tea for various medicinal purposes. Today, witch hazel is used in a variety of products, including ointments, soaps and lotions. 

The name "witch hazel" also originates from folk history.  Natives and early settlers used the witch hazel to find sources of water underground.  As they walked over the ground that they were surveying, they would carry a forked or bent witch hazel branch, which was used as a divining road.  If the branch twisted or dipped, which they believed signaled that they had found water.  This practice was called "water-witching" and led to the plant's common name, witch hazel."




39 comments:

  1. It looks amazing, the photos are lovely too and I'm pleased you have improved.

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  2. Very interesting and detailed presentation and history of Witch hazel . It is very nice to learn and see useful plants. Nice foto! Thank you very much!

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  3. I had no idea that witch Hazel was used in water witching! I am so glad you are better, and able to go out! This is such a large, weird, and impressive plant. I have never seen one in real life, even though they grow here!

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    1. Thanks Ginny :) I have only known about witch hazel and water witching since visiting our local parks where it grows. Then I go find out more about it and it is a lot of fun what can be learned.

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  4. Glad to hear you are feeling better. I've heard of witch hazel before but I don't think I've ever seen the shrub

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    1. Thanks Ann, I have started noticing it more in our area over the last few years or so :)

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  5. Such an interesting story to learn about,

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    1. I thought so too, glad you do :) Thanks Roentare!

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  6. The witch hazel is pretty, great photos. I am glad you are feeling better. Take care, have a wonderful week!

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    1. Thank you Eileen and you take care and have a wonderful week ahead :)

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  7. I use witch hazel on occasion but have never see the plant...Thanks!
    Glad you are feeling better!
    hugs
    Donna

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    1. Thanks Donna, I haven't used witch hazel at home for a while. I should pick up a bottle sometime :)

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  8. its a pretty flower and i did not know it is a large shrub or anything about but the fact we buy bottles of witch hazel to keep in the bathroom. I would like to see the bush in person

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    1. I really am going to have to get some in bottle form. Thanks Sandra :)

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  9. Glad you are feeling better. I often wonder how people from the past found parts of plants, trees, shrubs and flowers had the ability to cure common ailments or provide food. Such as this interesting account of witch hazel, and of course, maple syrup.
    Was it trial and error or just plain luck.
    Thanks for the read.

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    1. Thank you so much and you are very welcome. It really is interesting isn't it? I think it may have been a bit of all that you mentioned :) I certainly am grateful for the knowledge people passed down.

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  10. Glad you are feeling better Denise!

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    1. Thank you Christine, I appreciate the kind thoughts.

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  11. All the best, Denise. Love that you are seeing spring.

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    1. Thank you so much Jenn, the weather is a bit chilly now but at least the sun is shining and the light dusting of snow we had has already disappeared :) Hope you are keeping warm.

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  12. I've heard of this shrub before, and I knew it had medicinal purposes as well, but I didn't know what for. It's interesting to see its yellow flowering plant. I'm glad to read you are feeling a little better. Take care. I'm glad to hear it's in the 60's there. It's still very cold here in the mountains, and my small heaters in the bedrooms went out and trying to get them fixed. Thankfully, the heater in the main part of the house is still running.

    ~Sheri

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    1. Thank you Sheri, so kind of you :) Our weather has dipped somewhat. I hope your weather has warmed up by now and that you've been able to get your heaters fixed.

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  13. I don't believe that I have ever run across any witchhazel. Interesting plant.

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    1. Hi Latane, perhaps it's because it doesn't grow in your area. It seems to be in all the gardens here :)

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  14. And that is why it is called witch hazel! Wonderful job Denise. I love learning new things that I never knew before. Always such a pleasure to be here. I hope you are doing well and I'm wishing you a brilliant dragon year ahead. Aloha.

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    1. Thank you Cloudia, it makes me very happy you enjoyed :) I wish you the same my friend.

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  15. Hello Denise:=)
    I am so pleased you are feeling better. I too took a break as I wasn't feeling well, As much as we like blogging our health comes first. Your visit to the Meadowlark Gardens must have been a lovely outing, and I thank you for this extremely interesting post. I learnt so much about Witch Hazel and your photos show what delightfully attractive flowers it produces. I had heard it was used for medicinal purposes but I didn't know it was used for water divining.or dowsers were called water -witches.
    All the best
    Sonjia.

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    1. Thank you so much Sonjia :) I appreciate your kind words very much and I do hope that by now you are feeling much better also, and you speak very true words about blogging. I find it lovely learning about these things also, and so glad you do too. Happy week to you my friend!

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  16. So pleased to read you are feeling better.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Thank you Jan, I very much appreciate your kind thoughts :) All the best to you too.

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  17. A short break can be a good thing -- and now onward! It's good news that you feel better -- sometimes it's just too darned hard to post when you feel lousy.

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    1. Totally agree Jeanie :) and thank you so much! You speak very true words.

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  18. Thank you Linda, very much appreciated :) It certainly did!

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