American Witch Hazel - Hamamelis virginiana

This tree has awesome, spiky, yellow flowers that bloom in the fall. Leaves are alternate, simple, broadly ovate, up to 15 cm long, have an unequal offset leaf base, and large wavy teeth on the margins. The tree grows to about 6 meters tall, which was why I couldn't get a shot of it - the trail wasn't wide enough and the tree too tall. The seeds of this tree are dispersed by popping out of their pods at distances up to 9 meters!

The leaves and twigs are often added to rubbing alcohol and used as an astringent.