Hazels are plants of the genus Corylus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Corylus comes from the Greek word 'korus' which means 'helmet', referring to the shape of the hard nut shells. Hazelnut is a suckering, native deciduous shrub in the Betulaceae family that may grow 9 to 12 feet tall.

Context Explanation

Corylus americana, commonly called American filbert or hazelnut, is a Missouri native, deciduous, rounded, multi-stemmed shrub which typically grows 8-16' tall and occurs statewide in dry or moist thickets, woodlands and wood margins, valleys, uplands and prairies. Hazelnut trees (genus Corylus) are widely grown for their delicious, nutrient-rich nuts, commonly known as filberts or cobnuts. These trees are deciduous and can range from small shrubs to medium-sized trees, depending on the species. Hazelnuts and filberts are produced by species of Corylus.

Insight Material

Commercial filberts (C. colurna L. and C. maxima Mill.) are cultivated in various parts of the world, particularly Turkey, Italy, Spain, China, and the US. American hazel (Corylus americana) is a large shrub or small tree.

Final Conclusion

The shrub will grow between 3 and 13 feet tall and tends to form thickets as it spreads readily by rhizomes. American Hazelnut, Corylus americana, is an easy-to-grow native shrub that produces edible nuts in late summer. Able to thrive in a wide range of conditions, this native shrub is a good choice for hedgerow or windbreak. Corylus is the only genus in the family Betulaceae to rely on animals rather than wind as the principle agency for transporting its seeds. The nuts are consequently the largest in the family, and can be packed with nutrients to give the germinating sapling maximum advantage.