Beaked Hazelnut Corylus cornuta
Beaked hazelnut has slightly hairy leaves that turn yellow in the fall. The soft quality of the leaves helps to differentiate this shrub/tree from another native tree relative in the Pacific Northwest, Red Alder (Alnus rubra). Beaked hazelnut leaves are deciduous and alternate on the stem. The serrated ovate shaped leaves meet in a heart shape at the stem. The fruit produce acorn-like nuts picked in early autumn that can be roasted or eaten raw. Alternatively, you may have never seen the nuts before because wildlife, such as squirrels love them so much. This shrub grows to 15 feet. Commonly found in moist sites in open forest, shady openings, thickets and well drained stream-side habitats.
Anna Beebe, 2019 KCD AmeriCorps Individual Placement
Featured Photo Credit: Dave Powell, USDA Forest Service, Corylus cornuta foliage, CC BY 3.0 US