Witch Hazel is associated with protection, healing, divination and love in witchcraft.
What Witch Hazel symbolizes
Witch Hazel symbolizes protection, clarity, balance, and the power to mend emotional wounds. Its blooming in winter embodies hope and resilience.
How witches use Witch Hazel
- Creating protective charms or wards
- Banishing negative energy from a space
3 more witch hazel uses, best practices and step-by-step rituals are in the Wicca app.
Appearance & origins
Witch Hazel is a deciduous shrub or small tree that typically grows 15-20 feet tall. It has irregular, zig-zagging branches covered in smooth, grayish-brown bark. The leaves are oval-shaped with wavy edges, about 3-6 inches long, and turn yellow in the fall. Its most distinctive feature is its fragrant, spidery yellow flowers that bloom in late fall to early winter, each with four narrow, ribbon-like petals.
Witch Hazel is native to North America, particularly the eastern United States, where it thrives in woodlands, along streams, and in moist, well-drained soils.
Associated deities
- Hecate
- Artemis
- Brigid
Safety
Warnings: Do not ingest Witch Hazel; ingesting it can cause nausea or liver irritation. Distilled Witch Hazel often contains added alcohol and is for external use only. Keep it away from children and pets.
Health note: Do not ingest Witch Hazel. Some individuals may experience skin irritation or allergic reactions, so do a patch test before any skin contact, and do not apply it to wounds or burns.
Storage: Store dried Witch Hazel leaves or bark in an airtight container in a cool, dark, and dry location. Liquid extracts should be kept in a sealed glass bottle away from direct sunlight.
