Turkish Hazel

Corylus colurna, also known as the Turkish Hazel, is a stately and imposing tree at maturity that almost looks as though it should be on the native tree list. It is actually from South East Europe and West Asia, having been introduced into the UK in 1582.

The leaves of this tree are bright green and broadly heart-shaped, similar to those of the Lime tree. In early spring, it produces long, yellow catkins, followed by clusters of nuts enclosed in frilly-looking husks in autumn.

The crowning feature of the Turkish Hazel is its rough, corky bark, which becomes more distinguished as the tree matures.

Corylus colurna is a tough contender, performing well on all soils including chalk and clay. It has a wonderfully symmetrical pyramidal shape, starting upright and broadening with age.

In recent years, Turkish Hazel has been selected as the tree of choice for avenues, parkland and urban areas over Lime trees, as it does not suffer the aphid drip associated with some of the Tilia species and produces a wonderfully regular crown which is desirable for mass planting.

Mature Height: 20m+

Common names

Turkish Hazel

Height of tree

20m+

Soil type

Well drained, Will tolerate most soil types

Shape

Pyramidal

Foliage Colour

Green

Fruit and Nut

Nut

Looks good in

Summer

Location

Garden, Parkland, Avenue

Genus

Corylus