MediaWiki default: {{otheruses4|the type of tree}} {{Taxobox | color = lightgreen | name = Hazel | image = Hazel Catkins.jpg | image_width = 260px | image_caption = Flowering Common Hazel in early spring | regnum = Plantae | divisio = Magnoliophyta

2007-07-28T08:00:29Z

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{{otheruses4|the type of tree}}
{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Hazel
| image = Hazel Catkins.jpg
| image_width = 260px
| image_caption = Flowering Common Hazel in early spring
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Fagales]]
| familia = [[Betulaceae]]
| genus = '''''Corylus'''''
| genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
''Corylus americana'' — [[American Hazel]] 
''Corylus avellana'' — [[Common Hazel]] 
''Corylus chinensis'' — [[Chinese Hazel]] 
''Corylus colurna'' — [[Turkish Hazel]] 
''Corylus cornuta'' — [[Beaked Hazel]] 
''Corylus ferox'' — [[Himalayan Hazel]] 
''Corylus heterophylla'' — [[Asian Hazel]] 
''Corylus jacquemontii'' — [[Jacquemont's Hazel]] 
''Corylus maxima'' — [[Filbert]] 
''Corylus sieboldiana'' — [[Asian Beaked Hazel]] 
''Corylus tibetica'' — [[Tibetan Hazel]]
}}

The '''hazels''' are a genus of about ten species of [[deciduous]] [[tree]]s and large [[shrub]]s native to the temperate northern hemisphere.

[[Image:TurkHazel.jpg|250px|left|thumb|Leaves and nuts of Turkish Hazel: note the spiny involucres (husks) surrounding the nuts]]
The scientific name is '''''Corylus''''' (authentic Latin but derived from an ancient [[Greek language|Greek]] name), and it is placed in the [[birch]] family [[Betulaceae]], though some botanists split the hazels into a separate family Corylaceae.

They have simple, rounded [[leaf|leaves]] with double-serrate margins. The [[flower]]s are produced very early in spring before the leaves, and are [[plant sexuality|monoecious]], with single-sex [[catkin]]s, the male pale yellow and 5–12 cm long, the female very small and largely concealed in the buds, with only the bright red 1–3 mm long [[Carpel|style]]s visible. The [[seed]]s are [[Nut (fruit)|nuts]] 1–2.5 cm long and 1–2 cm diameter, surrounded by an involucre (husk) which partly to fully encloses the nut; the shape and structure of the involucre are important in the identification of the different species of hazel.

Hazels are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of various species of [[Lepidoptera]] — see [[list of Lepidoptera which feed on Hazels]].

===Species===
The species of hazel are grouped as follows:
* Nut surrounded by a soft, leafy [[involucre]]. Multi-stemmed, suckering [[shrub]]s to 12m tall.
**Involucre short, about the same length as the nut.
*** ''Corylus americana'' — [[American Hazel]], from eastern [[North America]]
*** ''Corylus avellana'' — [[Common Hazel]], from [[Europe]], north [[Africa]] and west [[Asia]]
*** ''Corylus heterophylla'' — [[Asian Hazel]], from [[Asia]]
**Involucre long, twice the length of the nut or more, forming a 'beak'.
*** ''Corylus cornuta'' — [[Beaked Hazel]], of [[North America]]
*** ''Corylus maxima'' — [[Filbert]], of southeastern [[Europe]] and southwest [[Asia]]
*** ''Corylus sieboldiana'' — [[Asian Beaked Hazel]], from northeastern [[Asia]] and [[Japan]]
* Nut surrounded by a stiff, spiny involucre. Single-stemmed [[tree]]s.
**Involucre moderately spiny and also with glandular hairs. Large trees to 35m tall.
*** ''Corylus colurna'' — [[Turkish Hazel]], from southeastern [[Europe]] and [[Asia Minor]]
*** ''Corylus jacquemontii'' — [[Jacquemont's Hazel]], from the [[Himalaya]]
*** ''Corylus chinensis'' — [[Chinese Hazel]], from West [[China]]
**Involucre densely spiny, resembling a [[chestnut]] burr. Medium-size trees to 20m tall.
*** ''Corylus ferox'' — [[Himalayan Hazel]], from the [[Himalaya]].
*** ''Corylus tibetica'' — [[Tibetan Hazel]], from [[Tibet]] and southwest [[China]].

Several [[hybrid]]s exist, and can occur between species in different sections of the genus, e.g. ''Corylus x colurnoides'' (''C. avellana'' x ''C. colurna'').

===Uses===
[[Image:Hazelnuts.jpg|thumb|Hazelnuts]]
The nuts obtained from the [[Common Hazel]] (''Corylus avellana'') are the common edible [[hazelnut]]s. This large shrub is grown extensively for its nuts. Nuts are also harvested from some of the other species, including the [[Filbert]], from the closely related [[Balkan]] species ''Corylus maxima''.

The Common Hazel is also an important component of the [[hedgerow]]s that were the traditional field boundaries in lowland [[England]].

The [[wood]] was traditionally grown as [[coppice]], the poles cut being used for [[wattle-and-daub]] building and agricultural [[fence|fencing]].

The tough and flexible branches were considered by some to produce the worst-biting [[birching| "birch" rods]] (the official name, even though referring to another species).

The [[Turkish Hazel]] (''C. colurna'') is widely cultivated as an [[ornamental tree]] in Europe and North America; this tree species does not conform to the typical stereotype of hazels as being shrubs, being up to 35 m tall with a single straight, stout, trunk up to 1.5 m in diameter. It is very tolerant of difficult growing conditions in [[urban area|urban]] situations, which has increased its popularity in civic planting schemes in recent decades.

A number of ornamental [[cultivar]]s of the Common Hazel and Filbert are grown in [[garden]]s, including forms with contorted stems (''C. avellana'' 'Contorta', popularly known as "[[Harry Lauder]]'s walking stick" from its gnarled appearance); with weeping branches (''C. avellana'' 'Pendula'); and with purple leaves (''C. maxima'' 'Purpurea').

[[Category:Betulaceae]]

[[ca:Avellaner]]
[[cy:Cneuen gyll]]
[[da:Hassel]]
[[de:Hasel (Botanik)]]
[[el:Φουντουκιά]]
[[es:Corylus]]
[[eo:Avelujo]]
[[fa:فندق]]
[[fr:Noisetier]]
[[gl:Abeleira]]
[[it:Corylus avellana]]
[[he:אגוז לוז]]
[[lt:Lazdynas]]
[[nl:Hazelaar]]
[[ja:セイヨウハシバミ]]
[[no:Hassel]]
[[nn:Hassel]]
[[pl:Leszczyna]]
[[pt:Avelã]]
[[ru:Орешник]]
[[sq:Lajthia]]
[[fi:Pähkinäpensaat]]
[[sv:Hassel]]
[[tr:Fındık]]
[[uk:Ліщина звичайна]]
[[wa:Côrî]]

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:TurkHazel.jpg

File:TurkHazel.jpg - Revision history

MediaWiki default: {{otheruses4|the type of tree}} {{Taxobox | color = lightgreen | name = Hazel | image = Hazel Catkins.jpg | image_width = 260px | image_caption = Flowering Common Hazel in early spring | regnum = Plantae | divisio = Magnoliophyta