Hazel is a group of large deciduous multi - stemmed bush or trees that produce tasty orotund hazel . Hazel tree and shrubs are identify by their rounded leave with notched margins , dangle cylindric prime clustering , and smooth brown barque . The common hazelnut ( Corylus avellana ) is the type of tree producing the most hazelnuts . The American hazelnut ( Corylus americana ) is a large flowering shrub that also produces edible junkie .

This article is a guide to identifying the most coarse types of hazels you are probable to run into in a landscape . description and mental picture of hazel leaves , bark , flowers , and fruit will spotlight the features and characteristic of thisnut - producing shrub - same Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .

Hazel Facts

Hazel is a flowering bush or tree in the plant genusCorylusand thebirch familyBetulaceae . The tree has a clumping habit making it seem as a tumid bush with a rounded , umbrella - like canopy . Depending on the hazel species , the bush - alike Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree grows between 8 and 20 foot . ( 2.5 – 6 grand ) improbable .

There are around 18 species of hazel trees and shrubs , many of which are native to easterly and key North America . The stalwart deciduous tree flourish in USDA zones 4 through 9 and performs good in full Dominicus and moist but well - drain organically rich soil .

Under ideal conditions , hazels have a medium growth charge per unit and acquire around 15 ” ( 40 cm ) per twelvemonth . It typically takes up to five years for a hazel tree diagram to reach its ripe height . A hazelnut can grow for around 80 years . Usually , hazel trees and shrubs make nuts after two or three years .

mutual hazels such as the European hazelnut and American hazelnut tree are fantabulous landscaping plant for small to large garden . Themulti - stemmed shrubs are idealistic for hedging , screen , and bungalow gardens . To grow a hazelnut tree , regular pruning of the chump lets you evolve a unmarried - base flowering ball tree .

Hazel Leaves

Hazel leaves

Leaves on hazel trees are rounded or centre - form with double - erose margins giving them a toothed look . The simple leaves grow alternately on stems and appraise 2.5 ” to 4.7 ” ( 6 – 12 curium ) long and wide-eyed . Hazel leaves are green from spring through summer before turning golden yellow in the declension .

Hazel Bark

Bark of a mature Turkish hazel ( Corylus colurna ) tree

The barque on young hazel trees and shrubs is smooth and a light brown or light gray color . An identifying feature film of hazel barque is the yellowish - dark-green lenticels or pores visible around the trunk . As the hazel tree diagram matures , the bark develops abstruse fissures consecrate it a bumpy , scaly appearance .

Hazel Flowers (Catkins)

Left flick : male hazel flowers ( ament ) . Right image : distaff flowers

flower growing on the hazel tree are well identifiable catkin ( cylindrical flower clusters ) thatbloom in late winter and other fountain . The yellow blossom clusters with a reddish tinge sag in groups of two or three . manful and distaff flowers blush on the same tree , with the small female blossom found on the same sprig as the ament .

Hazel flowers measure between 2 ” and 4 ” ( 5 – 10 cm ) long . The masses of pendulous yellowish catkins counterpoint the short green foliage in bloom .

Hazel Fruit

Hazel yield ( hazelnuts ): unripened and mature yield

Hazelnutsare the yield of the hazel Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , and they are small brown oval nuts measuring 0.5 ” ( 1.3 cm ) in diameter . The hazelnuts go forth unripe and are enclosed in a cup of leafy bracts . The nuts are a warm chocolate-brown color with a more or less flattened end when right .

Inside the thin , brittle shell is the centre with a slenderly wrinkled chunky visual aspect covered in a papery finish . The taste of hazelnut is described as somewhat honeyed with a smoky feeling . Ripe hazelnut look like small chestnut .

Whole filbert with two kernels ( one is peel )

How to Identify Hazel

Hazel works are identify by their leaf , barque , peak , and fruit . Look for a multi - cauline shrub - similar tree diagram with a rounded canopy . The identifying characteristics of hazel include rounded to ellipse green leaves with two-fold serrated edges . xanthous catkins seem in previous winter , follow by little nuts that mature from August through October .

Types of Hazel (with Pictures) – Identification Guide

permit ’s bet in more item at the most unwashed types of hazel shrubs and trees you could grow in your garden landscape .

American Hazelnut (Corylus americana)

American hazel ( Corylus americana ) shrub

The American hazelnut tree is a large deciduous shrub with dense foliage , dark green serrated ovate leave of absence , and showy yellow blossom that bloom in former spring on bare branches . American hazel bushes mostly grow as a clunking industrial plant with outbound growing subdivision form an attractive rounded crest .

Also called American filbert , the American cobnut shrub grows 10 to 16 foot . ( 3 – 5 m ) tall and 8 to 13 ft . ( 2.4 – 4 m ) wide . The stale - hardy bush thrives in USDA zones 4 through 9 .

American hazelnut flower are clusters of ruby-red flowers ( female ) or xanthous - brown blossom ( male person ) grow on the same President Bush . Showy cobnut flowers help to clear up up a grim wintertime landscape when they bloom early in the season . The recollective cylindrical flowers measure 1.5 ” to 3.25 ” ( 4 – 8 cm ) long .

American hazelnut male and female flowers

American filbert fruits are comestible nuts quick for harvesting from later July until October . The ball - shaped ball grow in leafy , ragged - looking papery shuck . The orchis from American filbert shrubs have a like taste to European hazel .

American hazelnut unripe fruit

American hazelnut bush leave-taking are identifiable dark unripe leaves with serrated edges and a pointed apex of the sun’s way . You will also point out that the leafage have spectacular vein . The densely develop foliage is why American cobnut shrubs are popular for summer hedges . The green leaves change by reversal stunning shades of rose , burgundy , yellow , and orange in the fall .

American hazelnut tree leaf

To grow American hazelnut in a garden landscape , plant the shrub in full sun to part shade . Typically , the nut - producing shrub performs best in well - drained soil kept moist . Although the shrub prefers loamy territory , it will grow in clay soil . The American cob shrub also grows in the wraith but will produce few nuts per season .

Hazel Identification : American hazelnut tree has identifiable dark green leaves with doubly serrate security deposit . The leaves measure out 3 ” to 6 ” ( 7.5 – 15 cm ) long . In late wintertime , you could spot a cobnut shrub by its yellowish dangle flowers . In the landscape painting , American hazelnut is a rounded , multi - cauline bush .

Common Hazel (Corylus avellana)

Common hazel ( Corylus avellana ) shrub

The coarse hazelnut tree is also call the European hazel , and it ’s a grandiloquent suckering bush with a spreading , umbrella - similar canopy . plebeian Pomaderris apetala is identified by its showy yellowish flowers , rounded serrate leaves , and eatable brown nuts that turn in dark-green papery package . European hazel shrubs grow 12 to 20 ft . ( 3.6 – 6 m ) marvelous and up to 15 foot . ( 4.5 m ) blanket .

Also called European filbert , the common hazelnut bush thrive in full sunlight to partial spook and prefers growing in moist , well - enfeeble dirt . The multi - stemmed flowering shrub grows best in USDA geographical zone 4 through 8 .

you’re able to plant the hazel shrub in shrub borders , acquire as a screen or hedging , or clip suckers to produce a specimen nut tree diagram .

Common hazel peak are long pendant clusters of pale - yellow catkin that seem in late wintertime . The dangling flowers measure 2 ” to 4.7 ” ( 5 – 12 centimeter ) long and bloom in group of two or three . The lily-livered hazel flowers help clear up up a free winter landscape in preparation for spring .

Common hazel male and female flowers

European hazelnuts are plentiful on the upright - growing bush . Typically , Corylus avellanais grown commercially because of the high-pitched - caliber brown nut it produces . The spherical light - brown orchis grow in clump of one to five and appraise 0.8 ” ( 2 cm ) in diam .

Common hazel immature and mature fruit

vulgar hazel leaf have a rounded to ovate shape with characteristic double serrated edges . The intermediate green leaves measure up to 4 ” ( 10 cm ) tenacious and full . In the fall , before dropping its leaves , the common hazel shrub ’s foliage grow bright yellow .

vulgar hazel leaf

A popular agency to grow common hazel bush is to coppice the plant . Coppicing a cobnut shrub requires trimming the plant to encourage more suckers to grow . Coppiced hazel shrub produce recollective whippy stems idealistic for weave baskets or fencing .

Coppiced hazel wood

Hazel Identification : The common hazel shrub or European hazelnut has characteristic oval farewell with threefold - notched margins , long drooping flower clusters , and brown eatable nuts .

Beaked Hazel (Corylus cornuta)

Corylus cornuta subsp . californica ( westerly beaked hazel / California hazel )

The beaked hazel is a small deciduous bush with twice - serrate ovate leaves , drooping digit - like xanthous ament , and little oval comestible nuts . Also called the beaked filbert , the nut - give rise bush grows between 4 and 12 foot . ( 1.2 – 2.6 m ) grandiloquent and wide . The hazel shrub is identified in the landscape painting by its rounded top and thickly - grow thick foliage .

beak hazel shrubs give rise flower in the mannequin of cylindric yellowish clustering that bloom in former winter through spring . The dangling flower develop at the end of short subdivision and serve summate color to a winter garden .

beak hazel male and distaff prime

An identify feature of beaked hazel bush is their unique fruits . The edible brown nuts are set up in hairy light-green husks formed as a recollective tubular beak . The delicious , rounded egg are ready for harvest in late summer and early drop .

beak hazel immature yield

Another characteristic of peck hazel plants is their rounded intermediate green leaves with pointed bakshish . Like all hazel bush leaves , they have double - serrate leeway . Beaked hazel bush leaves also have fuzzy undersides due to the flabby hairs . In the gloam , beaked hazels twist golden white-livered .

beak hazel leaf

Hazel Identification : Beaked hazel bush are easy to recognize in the landscape due to the long , extended pecker - similar reddish or dark-green husks covering the fruit . pick hazel have identifiable pointed leaves with serrated gross profit margin and yellowish ament .

Filbert (Corylus maxima)

Filbert is a large hazel shrub with rounded leaves , pale lily-livered catkin with a tip of red , and bunch of edible brown nuts . As a large hazel bush , filbert turn 12 to 15 foot . ( 3.6 – 4.5 m ) tall and has a spreading rounded canopy . Like the beaked hazel , the comestible hazelnut tree are encase in a husk with an extended beak - same casing .

Unlike other types of hazelnut plant , filbert is a species that more resembles a tree . Although it has suckering growth , the multiple theme incline to grow closely together , forming a vase shape with a rounded summit .

Filbert has dark green leaves that are generally prolate with twofold - toothed margins . The undersides of leaves have soft hairsbreadth , giving the foliage a fuzzy feel . Each leaf measures up to 5 ” ( 13 cm ) long . The disconsolate green jagged leave bend an unimpressive yellow color in the twilight .

Filbert leaf

Like all types of filbert shrub , filbert ament blossom in late winter or early spring with clusters of long pendulous flower . The longsighted finger - like dangling flowers are pinkish - red or cold pink and measure 2 ” to 4 ” ( 5 – 10 centimeter ) long .

Filbert male and distaff flower

After unfolding , clusters of nuts come along in green and crimson husks . The papery stalk attend like pick hazel fruit , and the enceinte nut inside bill 0.5 ” to 1 ” ( 1.2 – 2.5 cm ) long .

Filbert fruit

The hazel speciesCorylus maximais tight related to the common cobnut and grow for egg yield in the United States . The way to secernate filbert apart from the European hazelnut is by the tubular stubble ’s physical body .

One of the most striking mixed bag of hazel is the cultivarCorylus maxima‘Purpurea . ’ This attractive hazel works has sorry purpleness , almost blackened leaves and is popular for growing as an ornamental landscape shrub in gardens .

Corylus maxima ‘ Purpurea ’

Hazel Identification : Filbert hazel shrubs are identified by their rounded promiscuous fleeceable leaves with doubly - toothed gross profit , pale carmine - pink droop flowers , and hazelnuts growing in green and red vasiform husks .

Turkish Hazel (Corylus colurna)

Turkish hazel tree ( Corylus colurna ) untried and mature Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree

Turkish hazel is a deciduous tree with a recognizable pyramidal poll , short central trunk , and broadly ovate glistening green leave . The spring - blossom tree produces yellow bloom . Bark on the Turkish hazel tree is distinguish as corked barque with a dappled gray texture , peeling to uncover patches of orange .

Turkish hazel tree have characteristic flowers farm indangling clusters of pale - yellow-bellied catkins . The inconspicuous flowers measure 2 ” to 3 ” ( 5 – 7.5 curium ) long . Compared to other hazel metal money , the Turkish hazelnut bloom after in former spring rather than belated wintertime .

Turkish hazel male flower ( catkins ) . Right picture : tiny red female hazel flower between the male ament

Turkish hazel leaves are simple leave with an obovate or ovate human body and toothed perimeter . The glossy green leaf measure 4 ” to 8 ” ( 10 to 20 cm ) long and up to 4 ” ( 10 cm ) astray . When the leave change colouration in the fall , Turkish hazel folio turn a dull yellow vividness .

Turkish hazel leaf and unripe yield

Turkish hazels are stalwart in USDA zones 4 through 7 and uprise throughout the United States , aside from Florida , southerly Texas , and California . The hardy tree stand cold wintertime , red-hot summers , drought , wind instrument , and various soil type .

The fruit of the Turkish hazel Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is about ( 0.4″ – 0.8″ ) 1–2 cm and is encased in a briery or bristly voiced husk except for the tip of the nut .

Turkish hazel fruit

Unlike most other type of nut case - bearing hazel shrubs , the Turkish hazel is an good tree with a central loss leader . Therefore , there are no takings with get to prune suckering stems to create a expectant specter tree diagram .

The Turkish hazel tree is a tall , gallant nut tree diagram that produce 40 to 80 ft . ( 12 to 24 m ) grandiloquent and has a trenchant attractive cone-shaped shape .

Hazel Identification : The Turkish hazel tree diagram is identify by its pyramidical crown , yellow catkins growing in small clusters , nuts incase in hairy stubble , and orotund shining greenish leaves with serrated gross profit .

Asian Hazel (Corylus heterophylla)

Corylus heterophylla var . thunbergi

The Asiatic hazelnut is a deciduous shrub - like tree diagram producing pallid yellow catkin , clusters of edible nuts , and rung leave with serrate or lobed edges .

Asian hazel flower

The Asian hazel grows up to 23 foot . ( 7 m ) marvellous and has stocky stem . In its native Asia , theCorylus heterophyllais also originate commercially for its delicious hazelnuts .

Asian hazel green fruit

The way of life to assure the Asian hazel aside from the related rough-cut hazel is its serrated rounded leaves with cut short solar apex at the opposite side of the leafage base , dedicate it the appearance as if the leaf end is cut .

Asian hazel leaf

Yunnan hazel (Corylus yunnanensis)

Yunnan hazel ( Corylus yunnanensis ) Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree

The Yunnan hazel tree is a belittled crackpot - producing tree with characteristic ovate farewell with twofold - serrated edges , small cylindrical clustering of pale - xanthous brown blossom , and round nuts . Yunnan hazels are ornamental trees that arise up to 23 foot . ( 7 m ) tall . This hazel species is recognized by its spreading , upwardly - grow branches .

Yunnan hazel parting and catkins

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