Papaya - a world class meat tenderizer, natural digestive aid, prevents ulcers, and also a soft contact lense cleaner.Witch Hazel The Safety Factor
The medical literature contains no reports of harm from using witch hazel externally or as a gargle.
For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults, witch hazel is considered safe in amounts typically recommended.
If witch hazel causes minor discomforts, such as skin irritation, dilute it or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.
Colorful Winter Bloomer
Witch hazel’s Latin name refers to Virginia, but the shrub grows all over the eastern United States. Most commercial witch hazel is grown in the Carolinas and Tennessee.
Witch hazel is a perennial that drops its leaves each autumn. Its single root sends up several twisting stems that fork into many flexible, hairy branches. Witch hazel blooms long after most other flowers have disappeared, depending on location, from September to December. hence the name winterbloom.
The shrub’s spidery yellow flowers appear at the same time its previous year’s fruits mature. Its woody seed pods burst open with an audible pop and propel their two hard black seeds up to 25 feet. The seeds are edible and have been compared to hazelnuts, hence the name snapping hazelnut.
As a late-bloomer, witch hazel makes a colorful addition to any garden. Witch hazel grows from seeds or twig cuttings. Seeds should be refrigerated at around 40°F for several months before planting to encourage germination. Cuttings generally produce roots in about ten weeks. Witch hazel grows best in moist, rich, sandy, or peaty soil under partial shade but tolerates poorer soil and full sun.
Harvest the leaves and twigs anytime and dry.