Hazel
Hazel: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
Common hazel, Corylus avellana, is a deciduous shrub in the birch family, Betulaceae. It often develops several stems from the base, although its trained form can also resemble a small tree. Its branches and foliage give it a lasting presence in a hedge or fruit garden. The simple leaves are broad, rounded to oval, with toothed edges and a distinct pointed tip. Their green colour gives way to yellow shades in autumn before they fall.Flowering is particularly noticeable while the branches are still bare. The long, hanging male catkins turn yellow and release pollen. Female flowers are much less conspicuous: small red stigmas project from a structure resembling a bud. Both flower types occur on the same plant. Wind carries the pollen, distinguishing hazel’s flowering from that of fruit trees whose flowers depend mainly on visits from insects.Having male and female flowers together does not, however, ensure a regular nut…
