American hazelnut

Plant Type

Small Tree/Large Shrub (10-25 ft)

Life Cycle

Perennial

Typical Size

9-12 ft. tall
8-13 ft. wide

Inolerant of

Poorly Drained Soil

Propagation

By seed, By cutting

Plant Propagation Notes

Use softwood cuttings. Rooting of cuttings is typically low. Nuts should be cold moist stratified for at least a couple of months and take a long time to germinate.

Plant Planting Notes

Several plants allow for cross pollination and better fruit set. Full sun will also result in higher fruit set than part shade. It is not salt tolerant.

Plants/Diseases

Minor issues include Japanese beetles, scale, leafhoppers, leaf spots, blight, and crown gall.

Wildlife Benefits

Host plant for butterfly larvae, Fruit/seeds for birds

Leaves

Leaves alternate, elliptical to ovate with doubly serrated margins.

Flowers

Plants have separate male and female flowers. Female flowers bloom in clusters within a swollen bud only showing red stigmas. Male flowers are yellow to brown on long catkins.

Fruit

Nut enclosed in two protective bracts.

Bark

New growth is smooth and gray. Older growth becomes more rough.

Toxicity

No known toxicity.

Edibility

The nuts are edible. Often roasted and eaten or ground into a flour.

USDA Hardiness Zones

4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Light Exposure

Full Sun, Part Sun/Shade

Soil Moisture

Moist

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

Acidic (less than 6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Native in South Carolina?

Yes

Plant Native Habitat

Forests and woodlands with mesic, rocky soils as well as rich forests and thickets.

Global Conservation Status (NatureServe)

Secure (G5)

Federal Conservation Status (USFWS)

Not Listed

Distribution Notes

Rare in the South Carolina coastal plain and sandhills. Common in the piedmont. Uncommon in the mountains.