European Hazel
Corylus avellana · Betulaceae · 유럽개암나무
How to spot it
Male catkins that persist all winter and nuts enclosed in an involucre; the 'Contorta' cultivar is famous for its twisted branches.
Look
- Leaves
- Round leaves 7.5 to 15 cm long and wide, soft-hairy on both sides, with doubly toothed margins.
- Flowers
- Yellow-brown male catkins hang through winter and open in spring; female flowers are so inconspicuous that only the red styles show.
- Fruit
- Round nuts (hazelnuts) about 2.5 cm across are wrapped in a short, leaf-like involucre.
- Bark
- Bark is smooth, light brown to light gray.
Where it grows
- Native to
- Native to Europe and western Asia.
- Ecology
- Birds, squirrels and voles eat the nuts, and bees gather at the pollen.