Botanical Name:

Corylus americana

Common Name:

American hazelnut, American filbert

Family Name:

Betulaceae - birch family

General Description:

Corylus americana is a large, deciduous, thicket forming shrub. It is native to the Chicago area where it can be found growing in prairies, savannas, dry woodland edges and fencerows. The dense thicket provides habitat for wildlife and the filberts (also called hazelnuts) are a prized food source for a variety of animals. American filberts are also edible to humans, but the critters seem to get them first! Connor Shaw, of Possibility Place Nursery, recommends having at least three plants for good nut production and harvesting by September 1 to gather the nuts before the animals eat them. As an ornamental, American filbert grows in sun or partial shade in average soils. Due to its large size and somewhat unruly habit it is often suggested for use in a naturalized landscape.

Zone:

(3)4-9

Resources Consulted:

“Corylus americana”. Possibility Place Nursery. 2014. Web. 9 March 2014.

Dirr, Michael A. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses. Champaign: Stipes, 2009. Print.

"The PLANTS Database." USDA, NRCS. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA, 2014. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.

Swink, Floyd, and Gerould Wilhelm. Plants of the Chicago Region. Indianapolis: Indiana Academy of Science, 1994. Print.

Creator:

Julia Fitzpatrick-Cooper, Professor, College of DuPage

Creation Date:

2014

Keywords/Tags:

Betulaceae, Corylus americana, hazel, hazelnut, filbert, deciduous, shrub

Download PDF version of this plant profile