A deciduous shrub or small tree (Corylus avellana), native to Europe and Asia Minor; leaves broadly oval, toothed; male catkins long, pendulous; females short, bud-like with prominent red stigmas; edible nut partially enclosed in a ragged green leafy cup. It is cultivated on a small scale, but is common in hedgerows, and is often coppiced. (Family: Corylaceae.)
For other uses, see Hazel (disambiguation).| iHazel | ||||||||||||
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Flowering Common Hazel in early spring |
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Corylus americana - American Hazel |
The hazels are a genus of about ten species of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate northern hemisphere.
Hazels are used as food plants by the larvae of various species of Lepidoptera - see list of Lepidoptera which feed on Hazels. Corylus americana - American Hazel, from eastern North America Corylus avellana - Common Hazel, from Europe, north Africa and west Asia Corylus heterophylla - Asian Hazel, from Asia Involucre long, twice the length of the nut or more, forming a 'beak'. Corylus cornuta - Beaked Hazel, of North America Corylus maxima - Filbert, of southeastern Europe and southwest Asia Corylus sieboldiana - Asian Beaked Hazel, from northeastern Asia and Japan Nut surrounded by a stiff, spiny involucre. Corylus colurna - Turkish Hazel, from southeastern Europe and Asia Minor Corylus jacquemontii - Jacquemont's Hazel, from the Himalaya Corylus chinensis - Chinese Hazel, from West China Involucre densely spiny, resembling a chestnut burr.
Uses
The nuts obtained from the Common Hazel (Corylus avellana) are the common edible hazelnuts.
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