shrub

Hazel

Corylus avellana

Updated 8 Jul 2026 · AI-parsed entry

Hazel (Corylus avellana) — a shrub, for Full sun, Medium water. Companions: European Beech.

What it needs & gives back

↓ Needs

Sunlightfull sun to partial shade
Watermedium

↑ Gives back

Biomasshigh
Pollenabundant
Nutsedible

Companions

Through the year

Emergence

Bud break and leaf emergence typically occur after the last spring frost and when air temperatures consistently rise above 50C.

Flowering

Flowering occurs in late winter to early spring, often in February, after sufficient chill hours have been met.

Fruiting

Nuts begin to form and mature approximately 150 days after flowering.

Harvest

Nuts are typically ready for harvest from late August through September as they ripen and fall from the tree.

Senescence

Leaves begin to change color and drop with the first autumn frosts and shortening day lengths.

Dormancy

The plant enters dormancy after leaf senescence, triggered by the first autumn frosts, and remains dormant through winter.

Timing is relative to your local season (temperate Northern Hemisphere).

Soil interactions

Drainagewell-drained
Nitrogen fixingNo
MycorrhizalYes
Accumulatespotassium, calcium, magnesium
Soil textureloam, sandy_loam, clay_loam
Organic matterHigh
Compaction toleranceMedium

Propagation

Methodsseed, cuttings, layering, division
Difficulty2 / 5
Establishes in~2 yr
Stratificationrequires cold stratification for 3-4 months
Self-seedingModerate
Divisionlate winter to early spring

Wildlife & pests

Attractsbees, squirrels, birds
Can host pestsnut weevil, aphids
Can host diseaseseastern filbert blight