Witch Hazel

At a glance

Origin / distribution: US(Amerindian), China, German, US(Appalachia), Germany, French, US, Spanish

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Ache(Back), Alterative, Antidiarrheic, Antiseptic

Science studied: ACETALDEHYDE, AFZELIN, CATECHIN-3-GALLATE, CHOLINE

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Hamamelidaceae

Scientific name: Hamamelis virginiana

Common names: Witch Hazel, American Witchhazel, American Witchhzel, American witch-hazel, American witchhazel, American witchhazel (EN), Amerikaanse toverhazelaar, Avellano de bruja, Common Witchhazel, Common Witchhzel, Hamamélis de Virginie, Oczar wirginijski, Snapping Hazelnut, Sodinis hamamelis, Spotted Alder, Striped Alder, Virginische Zaubernuss, Water-Witch, Winterbloom

POWO: 430697-1 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in US(Amerindian), China, Elsewhere, German, US(Appalachia), Germany, French, US and 5 additional places.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Ache(Back)
• Alterative
• Antidiarrheic
• Antiseptic
• Astringent
• Bruise
• Cancer
• Chewstick

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• US(Amerindian)
• China
• Elsewhere
• German
• US(Appalachia)
• Germany
• French
• US
• Spanish
• Danish
• English
• Italian

Documented cultural uses

• Ache(Back)
• Alterative
• Antidiarrheic
• Antiseptic
• Astringent
• Bruise
• Cancer
• Chewstick
• Cosmetic
• Eye
• Hemorrhoids
• Hemostat

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Ache(Back) · US(Amerindian) · "
• Alterative · China · "
• Antidiarrheic · Elsewhere · "
• Antiseptic · German · "
• Astringent · Elsewhere · "
• Astringent · US(Appalachia) · "
• Bruise · Elsewhere · "
• Bruise · US(Amerindian) · "
• Cancer · Germany · "
• Chewstick · US(Amerindian) · "
• Cosmetic · China · "
• Eye · US(Amerindian) · "
• Hemorrhoids · Elsewhere · "
• Hemostat · French · "
• Hemostatic · Elsewhere · "
• Inflammation · US(Amerindian) · "
• Medicine · US(Appalachia) · "
• Myalgia · US(Appalachia) · "
• Piles · US · "
• Poultice · US(Amerindian) · "
• Refrigerant · Spanish · "
• Scalp · Elsewhere · "
• Sedative · US(Appalachia) · "
• Skin · China · "

17 additional documented entries remain in the source record.

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• Identification of Potential drug targets against lung cancer from Hamamelis virginiana using high performance computational techniques · 2026 source ↗
• In Vitro and In Silico Evaluation of the Antioxidant and Anticancer Potential of Hamamelitannin from Hamamelis virginiana. · 2025 source ↗
• Hamamelitannin from Hamamelis virginiana Attenuates Ethanol-Induced Oxidative and Inflammatory Responses in Danio rerio Larvae. · 2025 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• ACETALDEHYDE
• AFZELIN
• CATECHIN-3-GALLATE
• CHOLINE
• EO
• L-EPIGALLOCATECHIN
• GALLIC-ACID
• GALLO-TANNIN
• HAMAMELIDINE
• HAMAMELITANNIN
• N-HEXEN-2-AL
• BETA-IONONE
• ISOQUERCITRIN
• LEUCOCYANIDIN
• LEUCODELPHINIDIN
• MYRICETIN

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

checking published revisions…