Washington Native Plant Society: Starflower Image Herbarium

Home > Landscaping > Native Plants for Western Washington Gardens and Restoration Projects

Corylus cornuta

Beaked Hazelnut

At a Glance: Slender, multi-trunked deciduous shrub.

Height: 3 feet - 13 feet (1 meter - 4 meters).
Growth Form: Shrub.
Stems: Numerous stems that are densely clumped, 3mm in diameter, stem bark is gray-brown and hairy when young.
Leaves: Alternate, oblong to ovate, slightly asymmetrical, with double toothed margins, green with paler lower surface that is soft and hairy, turn yellow in fall; size: 4-10 cm (1.5-4 in) long.
Flowers: Monoecious shrub, male catkins emerge before leaves in the spring, female catkins are much smaller with protruding red stigmas, male catkins hang freely while female are attached directly to branches; size: male catkins 4-7cm (1.5-2.75 in) long, female; shape: cylindrical.
Flowering Period: February, March.
Fruits: Fruits are hard-shelled nuts enclosed in a tubular husk, husks are arranged in clusters of 2-3 at the end of branches, husks are covered with stiff prickly hairs, 1-2 seeds per catkin; shape: vase-shaped; size: 2-3 cm (.8-1.18 in); color: green husk.


Photo © 2004, Starflower Foundation

Sun/Shade Tolerance	Hydrology	Elevation Range
Prefers shade. full sun > 80% mostly sunny 60%-80% partial sun and shade 40%- 60% mostly shady 60%-80% full shade > 80%	Prefers well-drained sites, can occur in dry soils. wet moist dry Wetland Indicator Status: UPL (obligate upland)	Below 2100 meters. low elevation mid elevation sub-alpine high elevation

Soil Preferences
Prefers calcium and nitrogen rich soils.
sandy soils gravelly soils clay soils muddy soils peaty soils	well drained soils shallow soils deep soils acidic soils basic soils	humic soils nutrient rich soils nutrient poor soils mineral soils organic soils

Habitat Preferences
Aquatic and Wetland: Ponds or lakes Shallow pools Sloughs Swales or wet ditches Seasonally inundated areas Marshes or swamps Aquatic bed wetlands Emergent wetlands Scrub-shrub wetlands Forested wetlands Bogs, fens Seeps, springs Shorelines and Riparian: Lake shores Bog margins Streams or rivers Stream or river banks Riparian corridors River bars Floodplains Bottomlands Alluvial areas	Saltwater Areas: In or near saltwater Mud flats Tidal areas Estuaries Saltmarshes Brackish water Seashores Coastal dunes or beaches Rocky or Gravelly Areas: Coastal bluffs Cliffs Rocky slopes Outcrops Crevices Glacial outwash Gullies Slide areas Sub-alpine and Alpine: Heaths Snow beds Tundra Avalanche tracks	Forests and Thickets: Forests and woods Open forests Coniferous forests Old growth forests Deciduous forests Mixed forests Nurse logs Forest edges, openings, or clearings Thickets Meadows and Fields: Pastures or fields Meadows or grassy areas Mossy areas Disturbed Areas: Roadsides Trailsides Logged sites Burned areas Disturbed sites

Wildlife Value
Berries Seeds Nectar for hummingbirds Nectar for butterflies Host for insect larvae Thickets and shelter Thorny or protective cover	Birds: The nuts are often eaten by Stellars Jays, even before they are ripe. The dense, sprawling structure of the Hazelnut provide good habitat for low-nesting birds. Mammals: The nuts are eaten by squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, and red foxes. Rabbits and beavers eat the wood.

Ethnobotanical Uses and Other Facts

Food Uses: The large nuts are edible and closely resemble commercial hazelnuts.

Suggested References

Cooke, S.S. A Field Guide to the Common Wetland Plants of Western Washington and Northwetern Oregon. Seattle Audubon Society and Washington Native Plant Society. Page 23.
Guard, B.J. 1995. Wetland Plants of Oregon & Washington. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 194.
Hickman, J.C., ed. 1993. The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California. University of California Press. Page 366.
Jacobson A.L. 2001. Wild Plants of Greater Seattle. Published by author. Page 98.
Link, R. 1999. Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Page 256.
Lyons, C., W. Merilees. Trees and Shrubs to Know in Washington and British Columbia. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 141.
Pojar, J., A. Mackinnon. 1994. Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 92.

The landscaping and restoration information provided on this page is taken from Starflower Foundation Image Herbarium. All photographs © Starflower Foundation unless otherwise noted.