# Hazel (Corylus avellana)

> A multi-stemmed small tree or large shrub to about 8 m (occasionally 12 m) with yellow catkins in late winter and edible nuts in autumn. Hazel is the classic coppice plant of British woodland and a staple of hedgerows, giving pea sticks, bean poles and hurdles while feeding dormice, woodpeckers and jays. Coppiced plants can live for several hundred years.

Source: https://treerm.org/trees/corylus-avellana · Updated 2026-11-08 · License CC BY 4.0

## Facts

- Also called: Common hazel, Cobnut
- Family: Betulaceae
- Type: Broadleaf, drops leaves
- Mature height: 8 m; spread 6 m
- Growth: Medium growth; lives about 80 years
- USDA hardiness zones: 4 to 8
- Light: Sun or part shade
- Water: Moderate water
- Soil: Most moist but drained soils including chalk and clay; tolerates shade under oak
- Native range: Native across Europe from Britain and Ireland to Scandinavia, Russia, Türkiye and the Caucasus; also the Faroes.

**Benefits:** Wildlife, Edible, Pollinators, Birds, Fits small spaces, Long lived

**Good for:** Hedgerow, Small yard, Food, Screening, Reforestation

**Watch out for:** Allergenic pollen

## Care

Plant bare-root whips in winter; it needs little aftercare beyond weed control and protection from deer and rabbits. Coppice every 7 to 10 years in winter if you want rods and a dense understorey. Few serious pests; squirrels take most nuts before they ripen.

## Where it stands

- **Native:** Germany; France; United Kingdom; Ireland; Norway

## Sources

- https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/hazel/
- https://www.gbif.org/species/2875979
- https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=277826
- https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/corylus-avellana/