Can you eat the fruits of the witch hazel?
The fruits of the Virginian Witch hazel can be found at the same time as next year's flowers on the shrub, a small phenomenon in the plant world. Poisonous they are not, but the fruits are rarely used in the kitchen. They look a bit like the hazelnut, but are not related to it. Despite everything, the fruits should be very tasty.
also read
- Are the fruits of the witch hazel edible?
- Is the witch hazel poisonous?
- Can I propagate my witch hazel?
Hamamelis is very popular in homeopathy and is used in many ways, but only the variety Hamamelis virginiana, the Virginian witch hazel. Because of its anti-inflammatory, hemostatic and contracting effects, it is often used for wound healing and various skin complaints. It should also help with hemorrhoids or neurodermatitis and even with diarrhea. In medicine, however, the leaves and bark are mainly used.
What do the fruits of the witch hazel look like?
The relatively easy-care witch hazel forms woody capsule fruits that contain only two seeds each. Incidentally, despite the possible similarity, it is not botanically related to the hazelnut. When the seeds of the witch hazel are ripe, the capsules burst open and explosively hurl the seeds up to ten meters away.
So you want to collect the seeds of your own plant and sowing, then you should take them out before maturity. After that it will be difficult to find them in the vastness of the garden.
Interesting facts about the fruit of the witch hazel:
- Fruit edible, probably very tasty
- not every type of witch hazel produces fruits
- woody capsule fruit with 2 seeds each
- ripe seeds are thrown up to 10 m
Tips
Would you like the seeds your witch hazel for that sowing collect, then do so just before the seeds ripen. Ripe seeds are thrown meters wide through the garden and can hardly be found again.