![]() ![]() Tips for Harvesting Witch Hazelĭistinguishing between North American and Asian witch hazels ( H. ![]() Mountain Rose Herbs is my favorite online store to buy dried witch hazel bark and witch hazel leaves. In that case, you may purchase witch hazel plant material from various places, including local herbalists and some health stores. Suppose you can’t find witch hazel in your area and want to test out your DIY skills by making your own astringent before committing to gardening your plants. It makes a beautiful, multi-purpose ornamental shrub with many medicinal and cosmetic uses. They’re typically hardy in zones 5-8 and do well in part sun to full shade. If you’re interested in growing witch hazel in your garden, you may order them online for approximately $14 each. If you can’t find any wild-grown witch hazel in your foraging endeavors, you may choose to plant your own Witch Hazel bushes at home. Witch hazel can be found as either a large shrub or a small tree, displaying bright yellow flowers throughout the cold winter months. The witch hazel plant blooms instead of dropping its leaves for the winter. Witch hazel grows wild throughout northeastern and southeastern North America -exceptionally well in the Appalachian Mountains – and thrives in moist habitats, such as stream banks or damp woods.Ī great way to spot a witch hazel plant in your area is to search shaded forests in late October or early November for the only blossoming plant. If you make it yourself you’ll always know exactly what is in your own supply. (More uses are listed at the end of this post.)Īnother concern is that the witch hazel you buy in the stores may only have a tiny trace amount of the actual witch hazel plant in it, may have unnecessary additives, and is significantly more expensive. In addition to cleaning wounds, it can be soothing for hemorrhoids or as a skin toner, with moisturizer applied afterward to prevent skin drying out. Research shows hydrogen peroxide and plain rubbing alcohol applied to wounds may do more harm than good, leaving witch hazel a better option, with generations of proven safe use. Whether or not you homestead, chances are there will be skin health needs, DIY cleaning needs, and wound caring needs to tend to. Both the bark and the leaves are highly astringent, though the bark is most often used. They used a distillate of the plant to treat wounds, tumors, and other issues. Historically, witch hazel is a plant commonly used by Native Americans. Witch hazel, also commonly known as spotted alder, striped alder, and winter bloom, is one of those plants that is really useful to have in the medicine cabinet, and I wondered to myself if it’s something that one could make at home. ![]() Witch hazel has a drying effect because it contains large amounts of tannins, making it an excellent astringent. Its bark, leaves, and flowers have all been used in herbal remedies and skin care products. Witch hazel is a small shrub (hamamelis virginiana). Use these directions to make your own homemade witch hazel that you can grow in your garden to use for your DIY skincare recipes. Natural products you can make at home will always be healthier than products you can purchase from stores, whether online or locally.
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