Corylus avellana - Common Hazel

The <strong>catkins adorning its naked branches towards the end of winter</strong> remind us how endearing <strong>the hazel tree</strong> is. It is one of the first trees to begin its reproductive cycle, provided it has a nearby partner to successfully carry out its plan! You will have to patiently wait until the end of summer to enjoy its hard-shelled fruits, which are highly energetic and rich in trace elements, and have the advantage of storing well in a dry state. Hazels have not remained merely as fruit trees. <strong>Hazels, or <em>Corylus</em> in Latin, are bushes that form</strong> <strong>large clumps, commonly found within</strong> <strong>free or country hedges.</strong> These bushes, very <strong>easy to grow, offer a</strong> <strong>rounded, dentate foliage that turns a lovely yellow in autumn before falling</strong>. The twisted branches like corkscrews of <em>Corylus avellana</em> ‘Contorta’ add a magical effect to the scene. Its bare branches are used in floristry to give character to a floral arrangement or in the art of ikebana. The <strong>purple</strong> of <em>Corylus maxima</em> ‘Purpurea’ enhances the beauty of the foliage with its serrated edges forming a heart shape. The <a href="https://www.promessedefleurs.ie/shrubs/shrubs-by-variety/corylus-hazelnuts/corylus-avellana-red-majestic-common-hazel.html">Purple twisted hazel</a> ('Red Majestic') combines both characters with its sinuous branches adorned with purple foliage in spring, green in summer, and then red in autumn. <strong>Hazels are very hardy (-30°C), although some varieties are sensitive to spring frosts.</strong> They can be found in Europe, Asia Minor, and northern Africa. From late December to early March, the flowering occurs in long purple or yellow catkins, attracting bees eager for pollen. Hazels can produce 7 to 12 kg when mature and begin to yield from the sixth year of cultivation. <em>Corylus</em> are planted in light, calcareous soil, even poor or stony, or cool but well-drained soil, in sunny or semi-shaded positions.