Hardy, North American, deciduous shrub Dark green, ovate foliage turns shades of yellow to wine-red in fall; ornamental male catkins in spring; produces small, edible nuts in fall; good for wildlife food and habitatOrigin: North AmericaThe American Hazelnut is native from New England to Saskatchewan and south to Florida. It is often found along fence rows and at the edge of woodlands. In 1640 the New England poet William Wood wrote of the "Snake murthering hazel," presumably referring to the formidable switches or stems. Thomas Jefferson listed the American Hazel in 1771 as "a shrub not exceeding 10 feet for a shrubbery" at Monticello. The edible nuts have a flavor similar to the European hazelnut and are eaten by squirrels, woodpeckers, grouse, and other wildlife.
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