Common Names:
- American Hazelnut
- American Filbert
Phonetic Spelling:
KOR-ih-lus ah-mer-ih-KAY-nuh
Description:
- Appearance: A multi-stemmed shrub with round, serrated leaves and small, edible nuts.
- Leaves: Round, toothed leaves that turn yellow in fall. One way to identify these species in particular is to look at the leaves. Unlike other typical hazelnut trees, these are going to have a pointed, but rounded tip that is usually textured greens.
- Flowers: Small, inconspicuous flowers followed by clusters of nuts.
- Fruits: Edible nuts enclosed in bristly husks. They are light brown (kind of like acorn), 1-2 cm long and enclosed in 2 husk bracts.
Distribution/Location:
Found in woodlands and forest edges throughout eastern North America. Commonly grown throughout the US, and also in our garden! However, the American Hazelnuts, unlike the European ones, are not commerically grown.
Environmental Benefits:
Provides food for birds, small mammals, and humans. They can also work as shelter for small critters due to their multifaceted leaves. We’ve been getting much more birds and small lizards in our garden, thanks to the hazelnut tree!
Fun Fact:
The nuts of American Hazelnut are rich in protein and were a staple food for Native Americans. Staple foods are foods that are eaten a lot or is a main food resource for a certain group.
Did you know??
“Hazel” comes from the Old English name for filbert!
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