Hazelnut (Corylus avellana), commonly referred to as cobnut or European filbert, is a deciduous, multi-stem, brush-like sucker shrub that usually reaches a height of 12 to 20 feet.
It is native to North Africa, Western Asia, and Europe, usually found along streams and in hedgerows, wooded slopes, woodland borders, and rich thickets. Corylus is a genus in the Betulaceae family. Currently, more than 15 species[1] are classified in the Corylus genus.
Monoecious blooms (separate female and male blooms on the same plant) flower on bare branches from March to April (late winter to early spring) before the leaves sprout.
The pale gray-yellow, somewhat conspicuous male flowers appear on hanging, stalk-less catkins (2 to 3 cm long). The inconspicuous female blooms with red stigmas flower above the male catkins.
The leaves are doubly serrated, elliptical to ovoid to circular, medium green in color (up to 4″long), rounded to heart-shaped at the base, and primarily hairy.
