Corylus americana American Hazelnut
General
American hazelnut is a medium sized shrub with edible nuts that provide food to wildlife, and can be eaten by humans. It has a mild, pleasant nutty flavor and good nutritional value. It is very shade tolerant and does well as an understory shrub.
Plant Description
American hazelnut can grow 3-9’ in height. It has large, bright green oval to ovate pointed alternate leaves with doubly toothed edges. They will have either long catkins or small, red flowers, and the hazelnuts grow wrapped in a small, frilly leaf-like structure.
Height (ft)
3-9
Spread (ft)
9
Soil moisture
Moist
Soil types
Medium to fine, well-drained
Wetland indicator
FACU-
Shade tolerance
Full Sun to Full Shade
Bloom color
Pink to Light Green
Bloom period
Summer
Fall conspicuous
No
Anaerobic tolerance
None
Drought tolerance
Medium
Salinity tolerance
None
Self-Pollinating?
Yes
Range
Eastern United States, extending west as far as North Dakota and southwest as far as Louisiana, and northern into Canada.
Additional Information
According to BRIT - Native American Ethnobotany Database, the hazelnuts have been used as food, roasted and eaten or in soups and cooking. The woody stems/twigs have been used as drumsticks. A compound decoction with this plant has been used to treat nausea and nuts eaten for prenatal strength.