Filbert, European
Corylus avellana
Betulaceae - Birch
Description
Leaves: Dark green, slightly covered with fine soft hairs above and beneath; alternate; 2-4" in length, somewhat circular to egg-shaped or heart-shaped, abruptly tapers to a point at apex, edge doubly toothed, often with lobes, petiole 1/4" to 1/2" long.
Twigs/buds: Twigs brown, glandular-hairy. Buds green to brown, hairless with hairy scales; overlapping, egg-shaped to round.
Flowers/fruit: Flowers monoecious; male flowers are large (2" to 3") catkins, yellow-brown, late winter to early spring blooming; female flowers inconspicuous. Fruit a nut; nuts inside involucre, which is toothed or lobed and nearly the length of the nut; 3/4" in length; edible fruit grown commercially as a crop.
Bark: Pale to gray-brown, smoother with age, not an ornamental feature.
Wood: Unimportant; susceptible to wood rots and decays.
General: Native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. A tough, small-tree or large and shrubby; 12-20' tall. Prized in Europe for its nuts. Prefers full sun and moist to dry and well-drained soil.
Landscape Use: Plant as a specimen, barrier, hedging, or in groupings. Selections which have been grafted tend to sucker a lot, creating a maintenance need. Zones 5-8.
Cultivars: 'Aurea', 'Contorta', 'Fusco-rubra', 'Heterophylla', 'Pendula', 'Rote Zeller'.
Characteristics
General
Family | Betulaceae - Birch |
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Cultivar Availability | Yes |
Hardiness Zone | 4-8 |
Type | Broadleaf |
Utah Native | No |
Growth
Growth Rate | Low |
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Mature Height | Low |
Longevity | Medium |
Is Good Under Power Lines | Yes |
Crown Shapes | Shrubby |
Ornamental
Bark | No |
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Fall Color | No |
Flowers | No |
Foliage | Yes |
Fruit | No |
Tolerance
Shade | Low |
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Salt | Low |
Drought | Medium |
Poor Drainage | Medium |
Alkalinity | High |
Transplanting | Medium |