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Native Plant Spotlight: Witch Hazel
By Tommy McCarthy, Environmental Educator
Naturalists have a habit of pointing out invasive species. They are present at almost every nature preserve, and when leading others on a guided walk they frequently tend to be the subject of questions. While I do think it is positive for people to learn about invasive plants, it can be discouraging when invasives make up the bulk of what you see and learn about on nature walks. Of course not all you see on your hikes are invasive, but when you’re surrounded by so many other eye-catching things, many of our native plant species are easy to walk by without giving them a second thought.
One of these often overlooked native plants is witch hazel, which is somewhere between a large shrub and small tree. November is a great time to try and notice this unique plant, as it actually has flowers that bloom in late fall and early winter! The bright yellow to reddish spidery flowers are small bursts of color that provide some respite from the nearly all encompassing gray and brown post-autumn drab. The brightly colored petals and sweet scent of witch hazel flowers indicate that it is insect pollinated, but if you’ve observed the flowers for time that might seem puzzling. What insects are out and about looking for nectar while the first frosts of the season are on the way? For a long time naturalists weren’t sure, and it seemed as though it may have been primarily pollinated by wind even though it had the traits of a flower that attracts insects.
While it was known that some small insects like late-flying gnats or flies contributed to pollination, a naturalist named Bernd Heinrich discovered that nocturnal moth species belonging to a group called owlet moths also visit witch hazel flowers surprisingly late in the season, keeping themselves warm enough to remain active through freezing temperatures by shivering! Moths are underappreciated as pollinators, and this unique relationship between certain moth species and a plant that needs pollinators when temperatures are dropping is pretty fascinating. The fun facts don’t stop once they are pollinated, either. Witch hazel has unique seed pods that build up pressure as they dry out, and once they mature the seeds are sent flying out at speeds of around 30 feet per second!
Witch hazel is also useful to humans - extracts are used in a variety of skincare products, and the plant is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and ability to soothe sensitive skin. One other interesting bit of information about witch hazel is that Europeans observed Native Americans using witch hazel branches as “divining rods” to find underground sources of water. This was a pseudoscientific practice in which a forked branch would be stuck into the ground, and the user would apparently be able to tell if something was below them based on whether the forked part of the branch moved. This practice may have been around since ancient times, and spread through many cultures despite there not being much science to back it up.
Needless to say, witch hazel is a special and interesting plant. The late fall / winter blooming flowers, interesting relationship with shivering moths, and benefits to humans are all reasons we should seek out and admire this native beauty. The folklore about it being used as a divining rod is quite captivating as well - there is always more to nature than meets the eye.