Beaked Hazelnut Corylus cornuta
- Phonetic Spelling
- kor-EE-lus kor-NOO-tuh
- Description
-
Beaked Hazelnut is a deciduous shrub found in the dry rocky woodlands, forests, and swamps in Canada and the U.S.A. In NC it is found in the Piedmont and mountain areas. It can form thickets if the root suckers are not removed. They are grown commercially for the nut and used in wildlife preserves to provide food.
Separate male and female flowers bloom and early spring and are followed by an edible nut that matures in fall. It is enclosed in a husk that extends outward to form a beak giving it the common name.
This plant prefers acidic moist soil with good drainage in full sun to partial shade. Due to its thicket-forming habit, it is best used in naturalized sites or to form a hedge or barrier.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- var. californica
Found on the western part of the country
- var. californica
- var. californica
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- var. californica
Found on the western part of the country
- var. californica
- var. californica
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Corylus
- Species:
- cornuta
- Family:
- Betulaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Native Americans used the nuts for food, the wood for arrows and other items and the shoots were twisted into rope. It was also used medicinally.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Canada, U.S.A.
- Wildlife Value:
- Fruits are eaten by squirrels, deer, grouse and pheasant.
- Edibility:
- Nuts are edible
- Dimensions:
- Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 14 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Spreading
- Maintenance:
- High
-
-
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
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Fruit on female plants is a hard edible nut up to 1/2 inch long enclosed in a leafy, hairy, light green husk that extends beyond the nut by at least one inch to form a beak. Displays from September to October
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Catkin
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Male flowers are yellowish drooping catkins and the tiny red female flowers are mostly concealed in bracts. Blooms from February to April
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Leaf Margin:
- Doubly Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Description:
- Up to 4-inch long oval to nearly round leaves have doubly serrated margins and rounded or heart-shaped bases. They are bright green and usually hairy along the veins.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The twigs are light brown, sometimes with glandular hairs.
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Native Garden
- Design Feature:
- Hedge
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
