Corylus americana
Common name: 
American Hazel
American Filbert
Pronunciation: 
KO-ril-us a-mer-i-KA-na
Family: 
Betulaceae
Genus: 
Corylus
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Deciduous shrub, 8-15 ft (2.5-4.5 m) tall, suckers from roots and therefore wide spreading, width of 5-10 ft (1.5-3 m) or more, rounded.  Leaves alternate, simple, broadly ovate to oval, 8-12 cm long and 4.5-8 cm wide, doubly serrate, tip pointed (acute or acuminate), base rounded or heart-shaped, upper surface dull dark green, thinly pubescent, lower surface paler and more densely pubescent, petiole 5-12 mm long, pubescent.  Flowers (male and female) appear long before leaves, male catkins elongate to 5-8 cm, female flowers arise from axillary buds, 6-12 flower/bud, red stigma and style just protruding beyond the bud.  Fruit consists of a nut enclosed by a short, irregularly toothed bract 2-2.5 cm long, the nut is globe-like, only about 1.5 cm wide, the kernel is white, edible, sweet.
  • Sun to light shade.  Thin and prune anytime as needed.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 4      Native range from Newfoundland to Saskatchewan and south to eastern Oklahoma and Florida.
  • americana: of America
  • Hesston, Kansas: Dyck Arboretum of the Plains
Click image to enlarge
  • winter plant habit, fruit remnant and unopened catkins

    winter plant habit, fruit remnant and unopened catkins

  • male catkins and female flowers

    male catkins and female flowers

  • plant habit, fall fruiting (Dyck Arboretum, Hesston, KS)

    plant habit, fall fruiting (Dyck Arboretum, Hesston, KS)

  • leaf

    leaf

  • leaves and fruit

    leaves and fruit

  • ripening fruit

    ripening fruit

  • fruit cluster, late summer

    fruit cluster, late summer

  • fruit (nuts)

    fruit (nuts)