American hazelnut
One of our earlier spring-blooming woody plants is flowering now. For most of the year it hides in the understory in rich woods along the edges of fields and woods. Once it leafs out, the oval, double-toothed leaves, often heart-shaped at the base, grow to about five inches long and with little distinction, blend into the rest of the greenery.
Right now, late February, American hazelnut is conspicuously in full bloom. The male and female flowers, while very different in appearance are found on the same tree. The male or staminate flowers are crowded into dangling 3-4-inch long catkins, with dozens of tiny male flowers crowded in groups of threes on the catkin. These tiny yellow flowers are blooming now, even though the unopened catkin has hung from the tree since soon after the leaves dropped.
Catkin is a word derived from a 15th century Dutch word for kitten, because these catkins are soft and fuzzy like a kitten’s tail.
The very tiny female flowers are hidden beneath small swollen buds along or at the end or branches. The buds are covered with small overlapping scales that hide the female blooms within. Only the bright red styles are visible, though one has to look very close to see them
In autumn, two or more nuts are crowded together in clusters, encased by what looks like a folded, jagged-edge leaf. Once those leafy encasements begin turning brown along the edges or develop brown spots, that’s the time to harvest the treasure within – hazelnuts. If you don’t harvest then, forget it, because critters are going to get them before they fully ripen and fall to the ground. Ever seen a hazelnut on the ground despite their abundance in out woods?
American hazelnut (Corylus americanus) is a shrub to about 10 feet in height. It’s a member of the birch family (Betulaceae), but only a trained botanist might recognize its family association. Many early European explorers took note of the shrub, as its Old World relatives, Corylus maxima and Corylus avellena, source of hazelnuts or filberts have been cultivated in Europe since ancient time.
In Oregon, more than 67,000 acres are planted in hazelnuts. Our wild American hazelnut fruits are smaller, hence less desirable, than commercial hybrids, but an American hazelnut industry is developing among small fruit and nut growers, particularly in the upper Midwest. Now, when they are most conspicuous, is the time to become aware of the American hazelnut.