Beaked Hazelnut

Description:

The hardiest species of hazelnut, this is an upright understory shrub that produces sweet tasty nuts sheathed in a distinctive beak-like husk; fruit production can be sparse, best used as a background shrub or in naturalized plantings

Ornamental Features:

Beaked Hazelnut has dark green foliage throughout the season. The serrated pointy leaves turn yellow in fall. The flowers are not ornamentally significant. It produces brown nuts in mid fall, which are excellent for fresh eating. While it is considered to be somewhat self-pollinating, it tends to set heavier quantities of fruit with a different variety of the same species growing nearby. The smooth brown bark is not particularly outstanding.

Landscape Attributes:

Beaked Hazelnut is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and can be pruned at anytime. It is a good choice for attracting squirrels to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Suckering

Beaked Hazelnut is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Orchard/Edible Landscaping
• Hedges/Screening

Plant Characteristics:

Beaked Hazelnut will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 7 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub performs well in both full sun and full shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under average home landscape conditions. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments.

This species is native to parts of North America.