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Witch-hazels or witch hazels are a genus of flowering plants in the family Hamamelidaceae, with three species in North America (H. ovalis, H. virginiana, and H. vernalis), and one each in Japan (H. japonica) and China (H. mollis). The North American species are occasionally called winterbloom.

The witch-hazels are deciduous shrubs or (rarely) small trees growing to 3 to 7.5 m tall, even more rarely to 12 m tall. The leaves are alternately arranged, oval, 5 to 15 cm long, and 2.5 to 10 cm wide, with a smooth or wavy margin. The genus name, Hamamelis, means "together with fruit", referring to the simultaneous occurrence of flowers with the maturing fruit from the previous year. H. virginiana blooms in September–November while the other species bloom from January–March. Each flower has four slender strap-shaped petals 1 to 2 cm long, pale to dark yellow, orange, or red. The fruit is a two-part capsule 1 cm long, containing a single 0.6 cm glossy black seed in each of the two parts; the capsule splits explosively at maturity in the autumn about eight months after flowering, ejecting the seeds with sufficient force to fly for distances of up to 9 m, thus another alternative name "snapping hazel".[citation needed]

The name witch in witch-hazel has its origins in Middle English wiche, from the Old English wice, meaning "pliant" or "bendable", and is not related to the word witch meaning a practitioner of magic.Jacob George Strutt's 1822 book, Sylva Britannica attests that "Wych Hazel" was used in England as a synonym for wych elm, Ulmus glabra; The use of the twigs as divining rods, just as hazel twigs were used in England, may also have, by folk etymology, influenced the "witch" part of the name.

Species
Five species are recognized:

Hamamelis japonica Siebold & Zucc. – Japanese witch-hazel
Hamamelis mollis Oliv. – Chinese witch hazel
Hamamelis ovalis S.W.Leonard – big-leaf witch-hazel
Hamamelis vernalis Sarg. – Ozark witchhazel
Hamamelis virginiana L. – common witch-hazel or American witch-hazel
Hamamelis mexicana is sometimes considered a species, though as of 2020 Kew's Plants of the World Online considers it a variety of H. virginiana.

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch-hazel and www.rhs.org.uk/plants/witch-hazel

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Taken in: UK / England / Rother District / Little Common (show map)

Taken on: February 15, 2023

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Witch-hazels

Hamamelis

family Hamamelidaceae

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Camera: Nikon D80, f/5.6, 1/320 sec, 200mm (=300mm), ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D80
Aperture:	f/5.6
Exposure Time:	0.003 sec (1/320)
Focal Length:	200mm (35mm equivalent: 300mm)
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Spot
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Ver.1.00
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