WATCH FOR WITCH HAZEL

When someone says "Watch for witch hazel in the woods" my mind wonders... why do they think Hazel is a witch?  Why is she hanging out in the woods?  If she is a witch, why would I want to find her?  She might give me a poison apple and make me live with height challenged gentlemen.  Really, witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is a deciduous shrub or maximally, a small tree.  Our local variety blooms from January-March.  Now is a good time to keep an eye out for their blooms which are yellow, orange, or red.  Witch hazel, that you have probably seen at the pharmacy, is an astringent made from the leaves and bark.  I like to use it on my face at night.