Western Beaked Hazel

Western Hazel is a deciduous nut-bearing tree. The filbert is one species of hazel nut. The trees have multiple stems that give the tree a bushy appearance. They can be pruned to provide a single-trunk appearance, but this requires constant attention. It is better to allow it to grow as it wants and only trim those portions which extend into trafficked areas, such as walks and driveways. The flowers are greenish-yellow catkins which appear in January. These then turn brown and the new leaves bud in early March. The roots tend to be shallow and spread far beyond the tree's drip-line.

They spread by seed (nut), which squirrels bury in the fall and forget about. However a newly sprouted seedling often reveals the location of a buried seed, and squirrels will then dig up the seed. Because they are a favorite of squirrels, it can be difficult to harvest any nuts unless some means of excluding pests is used. Typically, the nuts are harvested from the ground, when they fall from the trees in the autumn.

As is the case with all nuts, some people may be allergic to hazelnuts - especially if eaten raw.