(Common Filbert, Contorted Filbert)

Commonly known as Harry Lauder's walking stick, contorted filbert has interesting twisted branches that are especially striking in winter. Attractive long yellow catkins are borne in late winter before the rounded, toothed leaves emerge.

Prized for its delicious hard-shelled nuts, European filbert is a small tree to large shrub that originates from the whole of Europe as well as western Asia. Wild plants exist in open woods and hedgerows where they grow in a wide range of soil types. Hazelnuts...

(Common Filbert, Purpleleaf Filbert)

Prized for its delicious hard-shelled nuts, European filbert is a small tree to large shrub that originates from the whole of Europe as well as western Asia. Wild plants exist in open woods and hedgerows where they grow in a wide range of soil types. Hazelnuts have been in cultivation for thousands of years and many cultivars exist--most bred to produce high quality nut crops. The woody, oblong nuts ripen in mid to late autumn and are eaten by wildlife as well as people. The European filbert is the...

(Common Filbert, Purpleleaf Contorted Filbert)

If you enjoy the four-season interest of Harry Lauder's walking stick ('Contorta'), 'Red Majestic' will give you amorous heart palpitations. Purpleleaf contorted filbert is an ornamental multi-stemmed shrub with vibrant foliage that is crinkled and purple when it first emerges, turns reddish purple in summer, and by fall transitions to glorious burgundy before falling away to reveal beautifully contorted branches. Its conspicuous male flowers, which are drooping purplish-burgundy catkins, bloom in...

(Common Filbert, Purpleleaf Filbert)

Purpleleaf filbert is an ornamental shrub to small tree with reddened foliage hailing from Europe and nearby Turkey. This plant is generally monoecious, which means that single plants have separate male and female flowers. Its conspicuous male flowers, which are drooping yellow catkins, bloom in late winter to early spring, before its leaves emerge. Tiny yellow female flowers appear at the same time and later generate edible hazelnut fruits.

Plant purpleleaf filbert in a fertile, well-drained...

(Common Filbert, Redleaf Filbert)

Prized for its delicious hard-shelled nuts, European filbert is a small tree to large shrub that originates from the whole of Europe as well as western Asia. Wild plants exist in open woods and hedgerows where they grow in a wide range of soil types. Hazelnuts have been in cultivation for thousands of years and many cultivars exist--most bred to produce high quality nut crops. The woody, oblong nuts ripen in mid to late autumn and are eaten by wildlife as well as people. The European filbert is the...

(Turkish Filbert, Turkish Hazelnut)

Attractive leaves, exfoliating bark and curious-looking fruits that contain an edible nut are highlights of the Turkish filbert tree. Native to southeastern Europe and western Asia, it has a pyramid-like habit initially, but as it matures attains an upright oval silhouette. The brown bark chips and flakes off in small bits, adding to the ornamental interest, especially from fall to spring.

In very late winter, branches bear long pendent clusters of male flowers, called catkins. Small, easy-to-overlook...

(Farges' Filbert, Farges' Hazel)

A little-known filbert whose multi-colored bark rivals that of some of the most beautiful birches, this Chinese native makes a wonderful all-season medium-sized tree for the landscape. The silvery-gray, mottled bark — which peels and flakes to reveal underlying patches of reddish-brown and tan — provides year-round ornament, especially in winter when the branches are bare. In late winter and early spring, long catkins trail from the zig-zag branchlets, adding to the display. The large, oval, toothed...

(Gray Clubawn Grass, Grey Hair Grass)

Forming a beautiful clump of fine, very narrow, blue-green or gray leaves and reddish purple sheaths, grey hair grass adds delicate texture to the landscape. This short-lived perennial, clumping grass is native to Europe, northern Africa, eastern North America and western South America. The hair-like leaves are slightly blue-green, more often gray-green, and emerge from beautifully contrasting sheaths that are red-purple. In summer, airy, upright panicles, or branched stem tips fill with tiny flowers,...

(Chocolate Cosmos)

Native to sunny meadows and open areas of Mexico, this appealing perennial is valued for its long-lasting display of velvety, dark maroon flowers that indeed emit a delicate cocoa scent. Spreading slowly via tuberous roots, it possesses an upright, branching habit and is covered with fresh green, somewhat fern-like foliage. Wiry, burgundy stems support a profusion of lush, chocolate-red flowerheads with slightly darker centers which bloom generously from summer into fall.

Chocolate cosmos prefers...

(Common Cosmos, Mexican Aster)

Common cosmos is a tall, bushy, annual native to fields and open areas of Mexico. This showy species has yielded numerous cultivars throughout the years and has become a beautiful and well-known standby of summer gardens around the world.

Like many annuals, this favorite garden flower grows quickly from seed. Its branched stems are lined with feathery, finely divided, light to medium green leaves that are attractive in and of themselves. A profusion of showy daisies top the stems throughout...