| Asian hazel | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fagales |
| Family: | Betulaceae |
| Genus: | Corylus |
| Species: | C. heterophylla |
| Binomial name | |
| Corylus heterophylla | |
Corylus heterophylla, theAsian hazel, is a species ofhazel native to easternAsia in northern and centralChina,Korea,Japan, and southeasternSiberia.[1]
It is adeciduousshrub or smalltree growing to 7 m (23 ft) tall, withstems up to 20 cm (8 in) thick greybark. Theleaves are rounded, 4–13 cm (1+1⁄2–5 in) long and 2.5–10 cm (1–4 in) broad, with a coarsely double-serrated to somewhat lobed margin and an often truncated apex. Theflowers arewind-pollinatedcatkins; themale (pollen) catkins are pale yellow,4 cm (1+1⁄2 in) long, while thefemale catkins are bright red and only1–3 mm (1⁄16–1⁄8 in) long. Thefruit is anut produced in clusters of 2–6 together; each nut is0.7–1.5 cm (1⁄4–1⁄2 in) diameter, partly enclosed in a1.5–2.5 cm (1⁄2–1 in) long, bract-likeinvolucre (husk).[1][2]
It is very similar to the closely relatedcommon hazel (C. avellana) of Europe and western Asia, differing in the leaves being somewhat more lobed.[2]
The nut is edible, and is very similar to the common hazel nut; it is cultivated commercially in China.[1]
