American Filbert
 

Mature Size, Growth, Longevity

Average mature size of 10-18' tall and 7-12' wide. The national champion in Maryland is 27' tall and 21' wide. Develops into a mounded to rounded shape. Medium to fast growth rate. Usually lives 50-100 years.

Native Range

Kentucky Native — Naïve throughout the northeastern and east-central United States, from New England to Saskatchewan, south to Florida, and west to eastern Kansas and eastern Nebraska. Native throughout Kentucky. Introduced into cultivation in 1798.

Flower and Fruit Details

Flowers are monoecious, male catkins area 1.5-3" long and yellowish-brown, Female are rich red but inconspicuous. Flowers occur in March-April. . Fruits are brown, 1" long involucres, containing a 0.5" long nut, ripening in September - October. The nuts, also known as hazelnuts, are eaten and enjoyed by humans, squirrels and songbirds.

Leaf and Bark Features

Deciduous: Leaves are alternate, simple, broad-ovate, doubly-toothed, 2.5-6" long and 1.5-2.5" wide, heart-shaped or rounded at base, barely tomentose above, but soft tomentose beneath, yellow-green, w/ a 1/2" glandular hairy petiole. Fall often a muddy-yellow, sometimes with an orange or red tint. Bark is smooth to shallowly furrowed; on young branches glandular-pubescent brown.

Culture and Care

Transplants well as a balled/burlapped or container grown plant, into well-drained, loamy soil, full sun to light shade. Tends to sucker, and needs to be pruned to keep from becoming an overgrown clump. Zones 4-9. May be hardy in parts of Zone 3. Tolerates shade, heavy clay, dry soil, soil pH 6.1-7.5, and is somewhat tolerate of heat, drought, and soil compaction. Not tolerant of flooding, air pollution, or de-icing salt. Susceptible to blight, crown gall, black knot leaf spots, Japanese leaf hopper, scales. No extensive problems.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts

Twisted branches can be visually interesting. 3-season interest: Spring, summer and fall. Probably not a good choice for smaller landscapes, due to its size and coarseness.

Suggested Uses

Used for naturalizing and non-formal areas.

Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA