Hazels

Corylus

A genus of 15 species of deciduous large shrubs and trees that are related to Alders and Birches and are known worldwide for their edible nuts.
Upon ripening the nuts must be harvested very rapidly as there is also heavy competition from squirrels ( eat up to 80 in a day ), mice and birds. The nuts are very nutritious, containing 60% fats, 10% protein and lots of calcium iron and magnesium. To prepare for eating, the nuts can be dried in the sun. More on the healthy qualities of Hazelnuts can be found on this site ( http://www.arborday.org/programs/hazelnuts/consortium/nutrition.cfm ).
Hazel wood is also valuable for firewood and trees can be coppiced for that use as well as tool handles. Trees should be harvested during late fall or winter, to encourage resprouting when spring comes. The trees should be cut on an angle so that water drains off the stump and doesn't cause rot. Coppice plantations of European Hazelnut are usually planted at about 5 feet apart, however trees used for landscaping should be planted with their mature width in mind so that they can develop an attractive natural form. Coppice plantations usually take about 4 years to develop healthy vigorous root systems, at which time they are cut to near the base to develop vigorous long stright multiple trunks which are later harvested.
They are easy to grow in full sun to partial shade on moist, fertile soil. Most are very alkaline and chalk tolerant.
Propagation can be from seed that is 3 month cold stratified at 40 F ( refridgerator will do ). Use wire mesh or anything else that will block rodents or squirrels from digging up seed. Hazels can also be reproduced by summer softwood cuttings treated with hormone powder, detached root suckers are also an option.
Eastern Filbert Blight poses a problem for Hazels in parts of North America
( external link - http://oregonstate.edu/dept/botany/epp/EFB/management/plant.htm ).
The blight fungus is native to the eastern U.S. and only causes minor damage to native Hazelnuts but causes severe damage and even death of European Hazelnut ( Corylus avellana ). Formerly only a problem in eastern North America...Eastern Filbert Blight was accidently introduced to Washington State during the 1960s and has killed alot of orchards there.

* photo of unknown internet source


Corylus americana ( American hazelnut )
A fast growing, heavily suckering, large deciduous shrub native to sandy and rocky woods of central and eastern North America ( from southeast Saskatchewan to Kenora to Sault Ste Marie, Ontario to southern Quebec & Maine; south to eastern Oklahoma to northern Georgia ). It is endangered in Quebec. In the Windsor/Essex County, Ontario region; it is only listed as occurring sporadically in the Point Pelee area as well as Pelee Island during the 1800s. It was abundant at Detroit, Michigan and around Sandusky, Ohio at that time. American Hazel thickets were also very common on the tall grass prairie from northern Illinois to Ohio before conversion to agriculture around the 1850s to 70s. Some records include: 1st years - 20 inches; fastest recorded growth rate - 3 + feet; 10 years - 10 x 15 feet; largest on record - 35 x 35 feet with a trunk diameter of 1 foot. It is almost always multi-trunked and is very similar in form to Corylus americana.
The toothed, oval leaves are up to 7 x 5 inches in size. The foliage turns orange to purple-red in autumn. The autumn foliage is often very attractive and rivals even the Burningbush Euonymus.
The flower catkins are up to 3 inches in length before the foliage emerges in early spring.
The light brown, sweet, edible nuts ripening in August are completely enclosed in the husks. The fruits are up to an inch in length. The nuts are loved by squirrels. They can be eaten fresh after the husk and shell has been removed.
The twigs are brown.
Hardy zone 2 to 8. Requires well drained soils and is very drought tolerant. It is highly rated for landscape use in both the northern Great Plains and the northeastern portion of the North American continent.

* photos taken on Oct 19 2013 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 31 2016 in Howard Co., MD

* photos taken on Apr 23 2017 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on Jul 18 2017 @ Dominion Arboretum, Ottawa, ON

* photo taken on Aug 5 2017 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* american hazel in Deep River, ON

* photos taken on July 12 2019 @ Greenfield Village, Dearborn, MI

* photos taken on Oct 22 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Nov 10 2020 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on Aug 4 2021 @ U.S. National Arboretum, Washington, DC

* photos taken on Oct 27 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Aug 1 2022 in Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on Oct 28 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Feb 22 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 28 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken by Steve Hurst @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

'Sundrops'
A form selected by horticulturalist Roy Klehm of Illinois. It is similar in habit to the species but has golden-yellow foliage during spring that turns to bright green during summer. The new growth tips during summer often continue to be golden-yellow.

Corylus avellana ( European Hazelnut )
A multi-stemmed, bushy, rounded, suckering tree native from most of Europe to western Asia, and northern Africa. Some records include: 10 years - 23 feet; 20 years - 40 x 27 feet; largest on record - 60 x 40 feet with a trunk diameter of 63 inches; longest lived - unknown but can easily exceed 100 years.
The double-toothed, rounded leaves are up to 5 x 5 inches in size. The new growth in spring is covered in sticky hairs. The coarse, mid-green foliage turns to yellow during autumn.
The showy light yellow male flower catkins are long ( up to 3 inches long ) and are borne during late winter before the foliage emerges. The female flower catkins are red.
The ragged husks cover about half the nut. The nuts are abundantly produced, up to 500 pounds yearly per acre of trees. They make great windbreaks for farms or as a cover crop for slower growing trees as they too can be harvested for food.
The light brown bark peels in strips.
Hardy zone 1 to 8 in full sun to partial shade on fertile soil.

* photo taken on June 10 2011 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Nov 8 2011 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 31 2013 @ Hampton Ntl. Historic Site, Towson, MD

* photo taken on July 11 2014 in Washington, DC

'Aurea'
Has foliage that is yellow later turning to greenish-yellow; otherwise similar to species. Some records include: largest on record - 37 feet with a trunk diameter of 20 inches with a huge crown.

'Burgundy Lace'
Deeply-cut purplish-red foliage.

* photo taken on Apr 15 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 6 2022 in Elkridge, MD

* photo taken on May 4 2022 in Columbia, MD

* patent photo

'Contorta' ( Corkscrew Hazel )
Forms a dense shrub up to 7 feet or more, with twisted twigs and branches. Some records include: 20 years - 13 x 13 feet; largest on record - 20 x 17 feet.
The almost rounded but pointed, sharply toothed foliage is medium green.
The bright yellow flowers are borne in hanging catkins in late winter before the foliage emerges.
Hardy zone 4 to 8. It is best grown from cuttings or layering, grafted plants sucker heavily and often revert back to wild form and should not be used.
This cultivar originated in 1863

* photo taken on August 2 2010 in Bayfield, Ontario

* photo taken on Dec 14 2012 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Apr 6 2013 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on Dec 13 2013 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Mar 1 2012 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken @ Smithsonian Inst, Wash., DC on Aug 25 2014

* photo taken on Apr 6 2015 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Mar 5 2016 in Columbia, MD