Medicinal Products
Witch Hazel
Witch hazel is one of the key components in many present-day topical ointments. The twigs and bark from witch hazel, a plant native to Rhode Island woodlands, are used to produce distillate. Witch hazel plant is a small tree, rarely over twenty feet tall. It is a slow growing tree which tolerates shade and is usually found growing in the understory of hardwood forests on fertile, moist soils.
American Distilling in East Hampton, Connecticut produces virtually the entire world supply of witch hazel extract. Traditionally, witch hazel has been harvested from forestland in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and southeastern Massachusetts. Because of forest fragmentation, the company has been forced to expand its search for raw material into western Massachusetts and southern Vermont.
Witch hazel plants are harvested in late fall and early winter, and are then chipped and boiled. The steam produced from this boiling process goes through a separator to a condenser, where it becomes astringent. There are several contractors who purchase and harvest raw witch hazel from local forests. It is chipped and then transported to Connecticut for processing.
Additional Resources
Witch Hazel Downloads