Turkish Hazel Corylus colurna
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- kor-EE-lus koh-LUR-nuh
- Description
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Turkish Hazel is a large deciduous tree with edible fruits in the beech family. It can grow up to 50 feet tall when planted as a yard tree or street, however, in its native environment, it can reach heights of up to 80'.
Prized by landscape contractors for its showy dense horizontal branches. Its main limbs are small in diameter compared to its straight trunk. The branches sit at almost a 90-degree angle in relation to the trunk. This makes the tree quite durable and helps maintain its symmetrical crown.
Its flowers can begin to bloom in February or March, the leaves are among the last to drop at the end of the season and its bare branches add to the winter garden, giving this tree somewhat year round interest.
Its female flowers are insignificant reddish scars, while the male flowers make a showy appearance in the landscape.
Although edible, the thick, hard shell of the nuts can be difficult to penetrate. However, once opened, the nuts have a mild taste and a long shelf life.
It is drought tolerant once established and works well in urban spaces making an excellent lawn shade or street tree.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. Japanese beetles can defoliate portions of the tree. This tree has poor transplant survival rate.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Corylus
- Species:
- colurna
- Family:
- Betulaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Street tree
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Europe to Iran
- Wildlife Value:
- Nuts are enjoyed by small mammals, especially squirrels.
- Play Value:
- Buffer
- Edible fruit
- Screening
- Shade
- Wildlife Food Source
- Edibility:
- Nuts can be roasted and eaten but are often left for small mammals.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 30 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Horizontal
- Pyramidal
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Edible nuts have spiny hairy husks and appear in clusters of 3-6. Litter can be a problem in hardscape areas.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Catkin
- Insignificant
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Early spring male flowers are yellow catkins individually clustered together and give some interest to the March landscape. Female flowers are insignificant.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Insignificant
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Obovate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Denticulate
- Doubly Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 5" long bright green glossy leaves with hairy veins on the underside. Fall color is unremarkable yellow.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Orange
- Surface/Attachment:
- Exfoliating
- Spongy
- Bark Description:
- The thick gray/brown mottled and corky bark has an orange-brown inner bark. Young shoots are hairy.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Young shoots can be hairy.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Naturalized Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Shade Tree
- Specimen
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Small Mammals
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Compaction
- Drought
- Pollution
- Poor Soil
- Urban Conditions
- Problems:
- Messy
