What is Witch Hazel Bark?

Witch Hazel Bark is the cut and sifted dried bark of Hamamelis virginiana, American Witch Hazel, a small tree or large shrub native to the forests of eastern North America. The bark and twigs are the raw material behind the "witch hazel water" sold in pharmacies, and the bark itself is high in tannins.

About the plant

Witch Hazel keeps an unusual schedule: its spidery yellow flowers open in late fall, after the leaves have already dropped. The plant is also known for its snapping seed pods, which fling seeds as far as thirty feet, giving it the folk name Snapping Hazelnut. Several Native peoples, including the Iroquois and Mohegan, worked with the bark and twigs, and Witch Hazel entered Western pharmacy in the 1800s. The commercial "witch hazel water" on drugstore shelves is a steam distillate, a different product from the bark itself.

Witch Hazel Bark: form & sizes

We carry Witch Hazel Bark as organic cut and sifted dried bark, sold by weight in sizes from 1 oz to 1 lb. We make no health or therapeutic claims.

Storage

Store Witch Hazel Bark in an airtight container, away from heat, light, and humidity, to preserve its color and aroma.

Witch Hazel Bark at a glance

Botanical name

Hamamelis virginiana

Family

Hamamelidaceae

Native region

eastern North America

Plant part

bark

Sourcing

Organic

Also known as

Common Witch Hazel, Snapping Hazelnut

Notable compounds

Tannins (high content), flavonoids, gallic acid

Form

cut and sifted dried bark

Sizes

1 oz to 1 lb