In this blog, we’ll be focusing on the genus Corylus, also known as the hazel. It’s a beautiful genus in the birch family that brings great value to our environment.
It begins in the spring with early blooms, followed by fresh green new growth, nuts in the fall, and finally a yellow-brown autumn color change. In winter, the stocky, light-green male catkins hang from the branches, waiting for the first warmth of spring.
The native species is called Corylus avellana. This hazel occurs naturally in the Netherlands and is therefore well-adapted to our flora. Corylus avellana serves as a host plant for the caterpillars of various butterflies, such as the Hazel Owl and the Spotted Aurelia. Thanks to its early flowering, it is also an important nectar source for bees.
The flowering process is unique. This is because it consists of monoecious flowers. This means that the plant produces two types of flowers: male and female.
The male flower is a catkin that blooms yellow. This flower produces the pollen.
The female flower consists of a bud with red styles protruding from the pistils during flowering. Upon fertilization, the female flower develops into hazelnuts.
Source: www.vroegevogels.nl
Source: www.vroegevogels.nl
The hazel leaf is obovate with a pointed tip at the end. The leaf margin is doubly serrated. The leaf veins are also clearly visible.
The leaves start out bright green and turn a deep green in late spring and summer. In the fall, the leaves turn yellow and brown.
There are also red-leaved hazel trees, such as Corylus avellana ‘Rote Zellernoot’ and Corylus colurnoides.
Hazelnuts are light green at first and turn brown as they ripen. You'll often notice a dull, waxy sheen on the hazelnut's shell.
A distinctive feature is the fruit husk. It encloses the hazelnut and develops from a bract and two sepals. These fuse together and expand significantly as the ovary matures into a hazelnut. The fruit husk is also deeply notched, giving it a fringed appearance.
In some cultivars of Corylus avellana, it is precisely these fruit husks that add to their ornamental value. For example, Corylus avellana ‘Rote Zellernoot’.
Edible
The fruits of the hazel tree are edible. Forest animals such as squirrels, jays, woodpeckers, and nuthatches gather the nuts and bury them as winter food. But it’s also a delicious treat for humans. If you want to plant a hazel tree that produces a good crop of nuts for human consumption, consider Corylus avellana ‘Halle’sche Riesen’.
Where is the hazel tree found?
Hazel naturally grows in deciduous forests, as understory vegetation and along forest edges. It is also used in shrubbery and hedgerows. It prefers humus-rich, somewhat lighter soil and can tolerate quite a bit of drought. It is therefore very versatile.
Solitary tree or avenue tree?
Corylus avellana is a shrub. It develops multiple trunks from the base. It can therefore be used as a specimen plant, a multi-trunked tree, or as a woodland plant within a thicket.
Another species is also cultivated in the Netherlands: Corylus colurna. This tree hazel is grown as a street tree.
Corylus colurna
The tree hazel, also known as the Turkish hazel, is a tree with a broad to conical crown. The tree has a straight, continuous trunk and grows to a height of about 15 meters. Its leaves are similar to those of our native hazel, but are slightly hairier. This tree also displays a beautiful yellow fall color.
Cork grows on the bark and twigs, peeling off the trunk in scales. The fruit husk is deeply incised and curled. So, it really does have fringes. The nuts are edible and ripe starting in mid-September.
Unlike Corylus avellana, this tree is suitable for use in landscaping. It tolerates drought and has a deep root system.
Are you curious to learn more? Then read more about the characteristics of Hazelaar in our Product Line.
Source:
www.floravannederland.nl
www.devlinderstichting.nl