Arts & Entertainment

Connecticut's Magic Elixir: Witch Hazel

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This article was posted by Megan Bard. It was written by Philip R. Devlin, our Connecticut history columnist.

It is no exaggeration to state that Connecticut is the center of the witch hazel universe. The T.N. Dickinson family of Essex first mass-produced witch hazel in a distillery in the mid-nineteenth century. The business has since been consolidated and centered in "Belltown, USA" — East Hampton — at the American Distillery Inc., at 31 East High Street. Hamamelis Virginiana — the witch hazel plant — can be found throughout the Northeast and in parts of Canada, but it is especially abundant in Connecticut.

In an 1888 publication entitled Naked Truths About Mormonism, the following quotation appears: "Joe claimed he could tell where money was buried with a witch hazel consisting of a forked stick of hazel. He held it and claimed the upper end was attracted by the money." Later in the same publication, there occurs another reference to Smith and witch hazel rods: "Young Joe had a forked witch-hazel rod with which he claimed he could located buried money or hidden things." Smith's New England roots undoubtedly were the source of his own strong beliefs in the special power of the witch hazel plant.

We get a hint about another special property of the witch hazel plant from its scientific name Hamamelis Virginiana. "Virginiana" means "of Virginia" and simply refers to the fact that the entire eastern part of America was originally referred to as "Virginia." However, "Hamamelis" provides us with a clue about another special property of the witch hazel plant, as it means "together with its fruit." This refers to the peculiarity of the plant to have its flowers and fruit exist on the same plant at the same time — something absolutely unique in nature.

And, of course, unlike any other plant in the New England forest, the bright yellow flowers and fruit appear together in the dead of winter — a fact that did not escape the discerning eye of naturalist Henry David Thoreau. He writes in his book A Week On The Concord And Merrimack Rivers: "There is something witch-like in the appearance of the witch-hazel … Its blossoming … at this irregular period, when other shrubs have lost their leaves, as well as blossoms, looks like witches’ craft."

About this column: This Week In Connecticut History retraces the notable people, places, and events that happened in our area.


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