Corylus avellana, Hazel

Hazel is often a short multi-stemmed shrub, but sometimes it can grow into tall shrubby tree with short but thick and gnarled bole. It is very important for the woodlands because of its edible fruits and leaves.

I found that Hazel shrub close to path leading to Peak District in Glossop. It is located on a small green loan, surrounded by older Beech trees and Holly. It's position is partly shaded through part of the afternoon, but it looks like it receives more light through the rest of the time. The soils is dark brown in colour and moist.

Hazel's branches are upright to spreading.

The bark is smooth and often shinny, peeling horizontally into thin paper strips.

Male catkins first appear in the autumn. They are short and green, but when they open early in the spring they can reach 8 cm long with yellowish colour.

The female flowers are red and very small, producing hard shelled nuts in bunches of 1 - 4.