Bareroot Corylus avellana (Hazel)

This versatile deciduous shrub or small tree is cherished for its early spring catkins that dangle like golden lambs' tails, bringing welcome colour to the winter garden. The rounded, toothed leaves turn sunny yellow in autumn, while the edible nuts that follow the flowers provide a harvest for both humans and wildlife. With a naturally bushy growth habit, it makes an excellent hedge or screen and thrives in most soil types, including clay. Particularly valuable for woodland gardens or informal plantings, it supports biodiversity by offering early pollen for bees and habitat for birds. A robust, low maintenance choice that brings year round interest to gardens of all sizes.

Family of Trees: Betulaceae

Habit: Deciduous Shrub/Tree

Growth Rate: 30-60 cm/year

Optimal Temperature: 10-20°C, hardy to -25°C

Harmful if Eaten?: Edible nuts (hazelnuts)

Flowers or Berries: Yellow Catkins, Brown Nuts

Hardiness: H6 (Very Hardy)

Hardiness ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

○ H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
○ H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
○ H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
○ H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
○ H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
○ H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
○ H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
○ H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
○ H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)