Today, I'll walk you through the straightforward steps to create your own witch hazel extract, allowing you to fully enjoy this powerful herbal ally while knowing exactly what's in it. Together, we will capture the natural benefits of witch hazel in a simple and effective way.
While exploring one of my favorite foraging spots last week, I was excited to see a small, yellow-blooming tree nestled among the others. It was witch hazel, a plant I have long admired but had yet to come across on my foraging walks until now. Late fall seems to be the perfect time to find it in bloom, and the flowers almost seemed to glow in the fall landscape—one last burst of color before winter settles in. Witch hazel is a plant with a rich history, especially among the Native Peoples of the Northeast, who have long been known for its medicinal gifts.
One thing that makes witch hazel so special is its unique ability to bloom in autumn, with delicate yellow flowers that can last up to eight weeks, lighting up the forest when few other plants do. Many believe that late fall is the best time to harvest witch hazel, as this extended bloom time makes it easy to spot and collect its branches in the fall when the blooms are almost complete.
