Hoyt Arboretum, Portland, Oregon, USA

Common name: Turkish Hazel

Family: Betulaceae

Distribution: SE Europe, W Asia

Habitat: Temperate forests

IUCN Red list: Least concern

Hardiness: Zone 5b -15 to -10 F

Life form: Deciduous tree

Usage: Ornamental tree with fall color and winter interest

Comments: Turkish filbert is a medium sized deciduous native to southeastern Europe to western China. It has a pyramidal tree form that grows to 40-50’ tall. The trunk is short with dense, horizontal, low branching. Bright green, semi-glossy, double-toothed, broad ovate to obovate leaves to 5” long, have hair on the veins beneath. Leaves turn variable but usually unexceptional shades of yellow in fall. Corky, mottled, tan to gray bark on mature trunks may flake to reveal an orange-brown inner bark. Monoecious flowers appear in catkins in spring. The male catkins to 3” long are not individually showy, but cumulatively can provide much interest in a March landscape. Tiny female catkins are largely hidden.
Best grown in acidic, organically rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun.