Corylus fargesii
Farges' Hazelnut (Filbert)
Mature Size, Growth, Longevity
Average mature size of 50-80' tall, a medium-sized tree. Straight-trunked and often multistemmed, with horizontal or slightly drooping branches. Fast growing, to 26 feet in 10 years.
Native Range
Native to the mountain valley forests of western China.
Flower and Fruit Details
Flowers are monoecious, in long catkins, in May, pollinated by wind. Fruits ripen in mid to late autumn, seeds in a tubular involucre (covering) about 0.5 inches in diameter.
Leaf and Bark Features
Leaves are large, oval, toothed leaves are attractive and disease-free. Bark is silvery-gray, mottled. Bark flakes off, revealing reddish-brown and tan underneath.
Culture and Care
Best in well-drained, loamy soils of moderate fertility, in sun or light shade. Better in neutral-to-alkaline soils rather than acidic, but does less well in soils that are rich or poor in organic matter. Easilly transported even when relatively large.
Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts
Named after botanist and plant collector Paul Guillaume Farges.
Suggested Uses
Use as a specimen tree or grouping. Plant near a path or window where its bark can be viewed and appreciated.