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	<img alt="" src="{filedir_5}witchhazel.jpg" style="width: 460px; height: 288px; " /></p>
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	Name: American Witch-hazel -&nbsp;<em>Hamamelis virginiana</em></p>
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	Leaves: Alternate and simple 10-15 cm in length. Oval-obovate, Sinuate-dentate.</p>
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	Bark: Smooth, light brown transitioning to scaley. Lenticels conspicuous.</p>
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	Flower: Fall. Yellow, clusters of 3. 4-parted, 4-petals.</p>
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	Fruit: Capsule 1-1.5cm. Brown. Seeds discharged following fall.</p>
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	Habitat: Typical of dry-mesic oak-hickory forests</p>
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	Notes: Witch-hazel is a beautiful shrub-like tree (12&rsquo;-25&rsquo;) typical of dry to well drained mesic soils typically associated with oak-hickory forests. This tree has especially distinctive yellow flowers that emerge mid-fall (October-November) often after dropping its leaves. Perhaps even more bizarre are the fruits these flowers produce. Small brown capsule&rsquo;s (1-1.5cm) burst open the following summer to eject seeds distances of up to 40&rsquo; from the parent. Prized for it&rsquo;s mystical properties, witch-hazel was sought by water-diviners for use in locating wells. Additionally, witch-hazel is prized for it&rsquo;s naturopathic use in liniments, medicines, and salves.</p>
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	<u>References</u></p>
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	<em>Barnes, Burton Verne, and Warren H. Wagner. Michigan Trees: A Guide to the Trees of&nbsp;</em><em>the Great Lakes Region. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, 2004. Print.</em></p>
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	<em>Kershaw, Linda J. Trees of Michigan, including Tall Shrubs. [Edmonton]: Lone Pine&nbsp;</em><em>Pub. International, 2006. Print.</em></p>
