(American Filbert, American Hazelnut)

American hazelnut is a tough, deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub that produces crops of sweet, tasty hazelnuts in fall. It’s a wild and informal plant ideal for more naturalistic edible landscapes. Populations exist across much of eastern North America, save very southerly states like Florida and Texas. In the wild, they favor upland sites such as hillsides, elevated forests and old fields.

The oval leaves are medium to dark green, have coarsely toothed edges and are fuzzy on top and downy underneath....

(European Filbert, Filbert, Hazelnut)

European filbert is an ornamental shrub to small tree that originates from its namesake. 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 hazelnut fruits. In fact, European filbert is the primary species grown commercially for hazelnuts. In the...

(Common Filbert, Contorted Filbert)

European filbert is a large deciduous shrub native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. Commonly known as Harry Lauder's walking stick, the cultivar 'Contorta' has interesting twisted branches which are especially striking in winter. Attractive long yellow catkins are borne in late winter before the rounded, toothed leaves emerge.

This plant thrives in moist, well-drained soil in sun or light shade, and tolerates alkaline conditions. Use it as a garden accent or for cutting.

(Common Filbert, Purpleleaf Filbert)

European filbert is an ornamental shrub to small tree that originates from its namesake. 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 hazelnut fruits. In fact, European filbert is the primary species grown commercially for hazelnuts. In the...

(Common Filbert, Purpleleaf Filbert)

If you enjoy the four-season interest of Harry Lauder's walking stick ('Contorta'), 'Red Majestic' will give you dilated pupils and amorous heart palpitations. Purpleleaf filbert is an ornamental multi-stemmed shrub with crinkled, purple new foliage. This filbert species is native to Europe and nearby Turkey, but 'Red Majestic' is propagated by cuttings and grafted onto regular filbert rootstock. By summer, its leaves have changed to coppery-red or deep red-purple, and by fall becomes a burned burgundy...

(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, Purpleleaf Filbert)

Red filbert is an ornamental small tree with purple new foliage hailing from Europe and nearby Turkey. By summer, its leaves have developed a mature bronze-green coloring. 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....

(Chinese Filbert, Chinese Hazel)

A walk into the highlands of China may reveal a rare glimpse of the Chinese filbert, which is a plant species vulnerable to extinction in the wild. Native to the moist woodlands of south-central China and into Tibet, this partially deciduous tree retains low branches and may sucker from its trunk. To maintain a classic tree silhouette, prune away suckers to reveal the mottled, fissured bark of the trunk. With old age, the bark pales to gray or white.

In spring, when foliage is emerging or fully...

(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...