Beaked hazelnut

Corylus cornuta

Foliage Type:

leaf

Arrangement:

simple, alternate

Distinguishing features: 3 to 10 feet high, upright habit leaves 2 1/2 to 6 inches long, egg-shaped to roundish, somewhat hert-shaped at base, abruptly pointed at tip leaf margin is doubly-toothed leaves smooth or nearly smooth above, downy on the veins beneath leafstalks bristly hairy branchlets not hairy or only sparingly hairy fruits less that 1/2 inch long, enclosed in a pair of bracts which are united to form a prolonged, tubelike, bristly beak

Habitats:	dry mesic sites mesic sites wet mesic sites
Often confused with:	Tag Alder Paper Birch (immature) Yellow Birch (immature) Hop Hornbeam
Ecological Value:	Dense stands provide good shelter and cover for animals. Many animals compete for the fruits which have excellent nutritional value (60% fat and 25% protein)
Did You Know?	Humans may also enjoy the nuts, edible raw, but favored after roasting. The nuts can be ground into flour after roasting.
Uses / Ethnobotanical uses: