How to identify Beaked hazelnut (Corylus cornuta)

How to identify Beaked hazelnut (Corylus cornuta)

Beaked hazelnut, also known as Beaked hazel, Turkish filbert

Beaked hazelnut is a deciduous shrub characterized by its ability to spread into dense thickets via root suckers. It exhibits leaves that are roundish with a heart-shaped base and double-serrated edges, typically between 3 to 5 inches (7.5 to 12.7 cm) long. The distinctive feature of this shrub is its fruit: a nut encased in a hard shell and enveloped by a husk with a long, tubular beak. The nuts mature from green to brown and are usually harvested in the fall.

Lifespan: Perennial

Plant Type: Shrub

Leaf Type: Deciduous

Quickly Identify Beaked hazelnut

Heart-shaped leaves with double-serrated edges, 3-5 inches (7.5-12.7 cm) long.

Fruit with nut encased in hard shell and long, tubular beaked husk.

Male flowers are yellowish drooping catkins, 1-3 inches (2.5-7.6 cm) long.

Distinctive leaf venation pattern with hairs along veins.

Light brown stem, 0.25-0.5 inches (0.6-1.3 cm) in diameter; irregular, zigzag branching.

Detailed Traits of Beaked hazelnut

Leaf Features

The leaves of beaked hazelnut are up to 4 inches (10 cm) long and exhibit an oval to nearly round shape with doubly serrated margins and bases that are rounded or heart-shaped. They are bright green in color and typically feature hairs along the veins, which adds a distinctive texture. The venation pattern is pronounced, providing a key identification characteristic for beaked hazelnut.

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Flower Features

The male flowers of beaked hazelnut are yellowish drooping catkins, typically ranging from 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 7.6 cm) long, appearing in dense clusters. The tiny red female flowers, mostly concealed within bracts, are characterized by their delicate, fringed style protruding slightly from the bud. These flowers make a modest yet significant display as they bloom from February to April, contributing to the successful pollination of beaked hazelnut during the early spring months.

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Stem Features

The stem of beaked hazelnut is light brown, averaging 0.25 to 0.5 inches (0.6 to 1.3 cm) in diameter. It is often slender with a smooth texture and occasionally dotted with glandular hairs. Young stems exhibit a subtle sheen, while older sections may become slightly rougher. The branching pattern is irregular, contributing to its unique, somewhat zigzag form, making it a distinctive feature in plant identification.

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Fruit Features

The fruit of beaked hazelnut is a robust, edible nut, roughly 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) in length, enveloped in a distinctive, leafy husk. This husk is covered with fine hairs and manifests in a light green hue. Unique among its features is the husk's extension, which surpasses the nut by at least one inch (2.54 cm), culminating in a tapered beak-like form. The fruit is typically on display from September to October, signaling its ripeness and readiness for harvest.

Learn About the Fruit Glossary

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Beaked hazelnut and Their Similar Plants

Common hazel vs. Beaked hazelnut: What's The Difference?

Common hazel (Corylus avellana) is a deciduous shrub species that is cultivated for its edible nuts. Hazelnuts can refer to the nut from any Corylus species, but it most often refers to Corylus avellana. The nuts from common hazel are eaten straight or used in making confectionary. Common hazel is native to Europe and western Asia.

American hazelnut vs. Beaked hazelnut: What's The Difference?

American hazelnut (Corylus americana) is a deciduous shrub that will grow from 2.5 to 5 m tall. Commonly found growing in thickets woodlands and prairies. It prefers full sun to partial shade. Showy large male and small female catkin flowers bloom in spring. American hazelnut produces edible nuts that attract birds.

Turkish hazel vs. Beaked hazelnut: What's The Difference?

A deciduous tree native to Europe and Asia, turkish hazel, or Corylus colurna, is the largest species of hazel tree. It is often used in landscaping and is tolerant of pollution in urban areas.

Harry lauder's walking stick vs. Beaked hazelnut: What's The Difference?

Harry lauder's walking stick, or the contorted hazelnut, is an intriguing cultivar with a dramatically curved and twisted branch formation. It’s also known, delightfully, as Harry Lauder’s walking stick, after a 20th-century entertainer best-known for his twisted walking stick. Smaller than many hazels, it grows up to 3 m tall.

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Key Facts About Beaked hazelnut

Attributes of Beaked hazelnut

Lifespan

Perennial

Plant Type

Shrub

Plant Height

4 m to 8 m

Flower Color

Yellow

White

Green

Brown

Fruit Color

Green

Stem Color

Green

Brown

Leaf type

Deciduous

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Scientific Classification of Beaked hazelnut

Phylum

Vascular plants

Class

Dicotyledons

Order

Beeches, walnuts, and allied trees

Family

Birch

Genus

Hazels

Species

Beaked hazelnut (Corylus cornuta)

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Distribution Map of Beaked hazelnut

Beaked hazelnut is native to swamps and moist woodlands of North America, where it is cultivated for its edible nuts. Beaked hazelnut is not invasive or a noxious weed.

Native

Cultivated

Invasive

Potentially invasive

Exotic

No species reported

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A Comprehensive Guide to Beaked hazelnut How to Grow and Care for Beaked hazelnut