A.k.a. American filbert. An adaptable, hardy shrub that produces sweet, high-protein nuts! Once fairly common, this valuable crop has lost ground to modern agriculture and development. This is a species with high value to wildlife, and is an easy and nutritious addition to most gardens.  How long it takes to produce nuts depends on growing conditions, but average seems to be about 8 years for wild types to produce in quantity. Plant within 20ft of another hazelnut for best pollination!

Pollination: 2+ individuals needed.

Light: Full Sun, Part Sun/Shade

Soil Moisture: Wet Mesic, Mesic, Dry Mesic

Soil Type: Adaptable

Height: 6’-15’

Width: 6’-13’

Bloom Color: Red (Female), Brown (Male)

Bloom Time: Mar-Apr

Fruit: Edible hazelnuts mature in the fall.

Fall Color: Yellow, Red

Root Type: Rhizome

Notable Wildlife Interactions: Hosts moths such as the luna and polyphemus moths, and many other insects including beetles, walkingsticks, leafhoppers, and a number of others. Nuts are highly sought after by a wide variety of birds and mammals, and are an important winter food source. Branch structure and thicket forming habit make it valuable nesting habitat and year round cover.

Notes: Rhizomes form suckers at a moderate speed. Tolerates full shade, but grows slowly and produces few to no nuts. Plants have both male and female flowers, but cannot self pollinate. Flowers are wind pollinated, so plants must be within roughly 20 feet of each other for best nut set.