Corylus colurna - Turkish Hazel

Corylus colurna, also known as Turkish Hazel or Turkish Filbert, is increasingly used in urban landscaping. This beautiful, large tree, with a pyramidal habit is highly resistant to pollution, does not sucker, requires no maintenance and can survive without watering once established, even in dry regions. It is a rare and productive fruit tree, with edible and tasty hazelnuts enclosed in a thick husk covered with fleshy and frizzled points. These ornamental fruit clusters are grouped together, forming a curious round and spiky conglomerate hanging from the branches of the tree. Other attractive features include a light and corky bark, early flowering with large pendulous bronze catkins, and foliage that turns a beautiful golden yellow in autumn. Definitely worth discovering!

Corylus colurna belongs to the family Betulaceae, just like birch. It is native to Asia Minor and southeastern Europe. This majestic tree, which can reach 25 m (82 ft) in height in its natural environment, arrived in western Europe in 1582. It is a self-fertile fruit tree (only one individual is needed to produce fruits) and monoecious: the male inflorescences, distinct from the female inflorescences, are borne in different locations on the same tree. It sheds its leaves in winter.

The Turkish Hazel is also known as Constantinople Hazel, Levant Hazel, or Byzantine Hazel. It has a moderately fast growth rate and develops a single, straight trunk extending to the crown's top. The crown grows from the lower part of the trunk and has an ovoid shape that widens over time. At maturity, the tree will reach approximately 20 m (65 ft 7 in) in height and 9 m (29 ft 6 in) in width with a rather broad pyramidal habit. The trunk and branches are covered with rough, corky, light-coloured bark, even on young specimens. The branches bear large, rounded to ovate, leaves with double dentate edges. The leaves measure 8 to 12 cm (3.1 to 4.7 in) in length, are slightly downy, strongly veined, and medium green, turning golden yellow in autumn before falling.

The male flowers appear on the plant during the summer and bloom in February-March, before the leaves emerge. They are pendulous and thick bronze-yellow catkins, measuring 12 cm (4.7 in) in length, quite decorative and rich in nectar. The female flowers are bud-shaped, measuring 6 to 8 mm (0.2 to 0.3 in), partially concealing bright red stigmas. Each hazelnut contains an edible seed inside a hard shell, with a more pronounced flavour than a native hazelnut. Their size and reddish-brown colour at maturity are similar to those of wild hazelnuts. However, they are slightly sticky before becoming completely dry. The long envelopes are deeply divided into twisted lobes, with a frizzled appearance. They are often clustered on the branches in groups of 5, 6, or even more. They are harvested from late August to early September. This large hazelnut tree has a deep and powerful root system capable of seeking moisture far down in the soil.

This magnificent Turkish Hazel thrives in parks and large gardens. It can tolerate any type of soil, preferring limestone, with sufficient depth to accommodate its powerful roots. It is a very hardy tree, low in water requirements, and hassle-free, suitable for both solitary and group plantings at the edge of a garden or to border a large pathway, alongside Horse Chestnut or Catalpa, for example. Hazelnuts can be consumed raw or cooked, as they are or in confectionery and pastries. They can also be pressed to extract a fine oil, highly valued in cuisine. The wood of the trunk, as well as the roots, is prized in cabinetmaking. Hazelnuts are enjoyed by squirrels and other wildlife.