Corylus avellana
European Filbert
Mature Size, Growth, Longevity
Grows 12-20' tall, either as a small tree or as a thicket of stems arising from the lateral roots. Usually lives 50-150 years.
Native Range
Native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. In the wild, it is found growing in thickets, woodland borders, wooded slopes, hedgerows, clearings, and along streams.
Flower and Fruit Details
Monoecious flowers. Long, showy, greenish-yellow to yellow-gray male catkins (2-3") very early to bloom, in March or early April, before the leaves emerge. Inconspicuous, female flowers with red stigmas bloom just above the male catkins. Fruit is a rounded, edible nut, 3/4" long, with a green to brownish involucre (a leafy, hairy husk) about the same length as the nut. "Corylus" from the Greek word for "helmet", like the husk. Nuts ripen in August/September. They may be roasted and eaten.
Leaf and Bark Features
Deciduous: Leaves are alternate, simple, 2-4" long and 1.5-3" wide, broad ovate, acuminate at tip, doubly serrate, somewhat pubescent on top, pubescent beneath, especially on the veins. The yellow fall color is usually not outstanding. Smooth, light-colored bark is gray-brown.
Culture and Care
Zone 4-8. Full sun to part shade. Prefers a neutral to alkaline soil. Few serious insect or disease problems. Japanese beetles may be a problem.
Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts
Good wildlife value. 3-season interest: Spring, summer and fall. This species is commonly grown for nut production. Filberts, also known as hazelnuts, are a common edible nut in Europe. Oregon is the major grower of hazelnuts in the U.S. Turkey produces hazelnuts (filberts) from 739 different selections.
Suggested Uses
Used for naturalizing and non-formal areas, or in hedges, group plantings, shrub borders or woodland margins.
Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA
The following taxa are (or were) represented in the collections at Boone County Arboretum. Additional taxa may be available in the trade that are not included here.
Corylus avellana // European Filbert, Common Hazel ("straight species")
Tree.
BT002114Corylus avellana 'Contorta' // Contorted European Filbert; Harry Lauder's Walking Stick
Shrub. Grows to 8-10' tall (rarely 15-20') and wide, Stems curled and twisted, and look very similar to a twisted walking stick, hence its common name. Will grow in containers. Interesting winter effect, with the gnarled branches catching snow. Discovered in 1863 in a hedgerow in England. Rarely produces fruit (nuts). Blooms a little later than the species. Prefers moist, organic, well-drained soils. Avoid heavy clay soils. Usually grafted onto the species, leading to much suckering of the understock, meaning constant maintenance to remove these non-curly shoots. No serious insects or diseases. Use along sidewalks, or near porches. Yellow fall foliage color.
BS009014Corylus avellana 'Fuscorubra' // Fuscorubra European (Red) Filbert
Tree. Rounded, umbrella, or vase-shaped. This cultivar has burgundy-purple foliage, but it is not as dark as Corylus maxima 'Purpurea'. Gets 12-15' tall and wide, rarely to 20'. Produces edible, hard-shelled nuts, with purplish husks around the nut. Purple spring foliage may change to bronzy-purple or bronzy-green during the heat of summer. Japanese beetles may damage the foliage in summer. May be grown as a large, rounded shrub or pruned and trained from youth into a single-trunked small tree. Monoecious flowers. Male catkins long and showy, purplish-gray to yellowish. Could be planted under utility lines. Usually lives 50-150 years. Fall color: purplish or golden. Bark is light green to dark brown, exfoliating with age. Medium shade tolerance.
BT001788Corylus avellana 'Rosita' // Rosita European Filbert
Tree. A moderate growth rate tree or large shrub, 12-15' tall and 10-12' wide in 10 years; eventually may reach 20'. More tree-like in habit than other European Filberts. It is a hybrid of European Filbert & Turkish Filbert, with deep reddish-purple foliage. Produces cold-hardy pink flowers in March, followed by deep red, wavy foliage. Husks and nuts are also reddish, holding their color well into fall. Wine-red fall color. The small, edible nuts provide food for people and for songbirds and other wildlife. Does well in sun or shade. Excellent reddish-purple foliage color holds well into the summer, when leaves turn a deep purple-green. Tolerates soil pH range from 5.6-7.5.
BT001045 - BT001047b