Native Plant Profile... American Hazelnut
(Corylus americana)

 

Common names: Filbert, American Filbert, Hazelnut General description: The hazelnut can be a tree or multi-stem shrub that can reach a height of 18’, averaging 8’ – 10’, with a spread of 10’ if not pruned. Leaves: deciduous, alternate, somewhat oval, 3” to 6” in width, hairy underneath Bark: Brown; young bark is hairy Flowers: Male and female flowers are separate but both types are present on each plant. Male flowers called catkins appear in the fall opening in the early spring. Female flowers are small and often not easily noticed. They bloom from late February to March. Fruit: Acorn-like nut is produced, thin shelled, 3/8” – 7/8” in diameter Nuts form in July and August, maturing in September. Nuts are formed in clusters of 2 to 6, covered at first by a husk like covering called a bract. Nuts are tasty and high in protein. Soil: Hazelnuts grow in a wide range of soils from acidic to alkaline. Does best in loamy, moist, rich soil. Sun: Does well in full sun, but can grow in shade. Wildlife Value: The thick, dense spreading hazelnuts are ideal for cover and nesting sites. This makes them ideal as wood-border and hedgerow plants. The catkins, buds and nuts are an important food source for ruffed grouse and wild turkey. Nuts, stems and foliage are eaten by beaver, rabbits, fox squirrels, red squirrels, and raccoons. Nuts are consumed by the Red – belled woodpecker, Quail, Pheasant, Eastern chipmunk and the White – footed mouse. Twigs and foliage are eaten by White-tailed deer. Landscaping notes: Not affected by any major insect pests. Can prune any time of the year. In the fall leaf color can range from orange to purple. As the plant can spread by rhizomes it is an attractive plant to use as a windbreak. Can be grown from seed, or seedlings as well as container plants. Did you know? American hazelnuts are similar to the European Hazelnuts that are grown to produce the nuts that are used commercially for food and flavorings throughout the world. "Hazelnut" is the old English term for "filbert". Additional notes of interest from the Arbor Day Foundation: High in protein and cholesterol-free, these nuts are both deliciously sweet and naturally healthy. They can be eaten by themselves or sliced, minced, or crushed to add flavor to casseroles, squash, cookies, and candies. Woody plants are three times more effective at capturing solar energy than annual plants. This "photosynthetic efficiency" means woody plants used on a large scale could reverse increases in carbon dioxide...and its effect on global warming itself. Find out more about the Arbor Day Foundation's Hazelnut Research Field and Hazelnut Project at:  http://www.arbordayfarm.org/conservation2.cfm

Maryland Wildlife: Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) Description: Grayish brown in color with a black mask, crested head and unique hard red wax – like tips on wing feathers. The "Cedar- bird" as it is sometimes known is slightly smaller than a robin at 6 1/2” to 8” in length. Usually found in flocks unless nesting. Range: Found year round in Maryland. Breeds primarily in western Maryland. Waxwing flocks are highly erratic. Voice: High pitched , sounds like "seee" or a high pitched wheeze They make these sounds as they feed , fly or land. Nesting: Waxwings nest later in the summer, July to August, when there is an ample supply of berries. Between 4 to 6 blue- gray eggs with brown or black spots are found in a cup like nest made of twigs and grass in a tree 15’ to 30 ‘ from the ground They prefer a conifer in an open site. .Although both sexes help build the nest, the female incubates the eggs for 12 days. After hatching, the young birds stay in the nest about 17 days. Both adult sexes help feed the nestlings. Waxwings can store berries in a pouch in their throat, which they can regurgitate berries into nestlings’ mouth. Most waxwings only have one brood per season. They will not reuse an old nest nor will they use a nesting box or platform. Habitat: Waxwings prefer open woodlands, orchards, hedgerows and residential areas that have berry bearing trees or shrubs. Food: Almost 90% of the waxwings food is fruit. Cedar berries are a major source , followed by cherry, dogwood, blackberry, chokeberry, hackberry, mulberry, Serviceberry, viburnums, grapes, crab apples, mountain ash, Elderberry, Holly, Greenbriar, and Poison –ivy, The other 10% of the birds diet consists of insects, such as beetles, ants, grasshoppers crickets and mayflies. Waxwings will catch insects in flight. Did you know? Cedar – waxwings feed in flocks on berry trees and are known to gorge themselves where they become almost too heavy to fly. They are also known to become drunk on overripe fruit, causing them to fly erratically. For additional photographs and video footage of Cedar Waxwings, visit: http://birds.camden.rutgers.edu/camden.html

Acknowledgements:

• Photograph of hybrid Hazelnut from Arbor Day Farm, courtesy of Arbor Day Foundation.

• American Hazelnut Collage Photographs, courtesy of:
  Left Column:
  (Top): Richard Webb, Self-employed horticulurist, Bugwood.org
  (Middle): William S. Justice @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database, photograph by William S. Justice courtesy of Smithsonian Institution.
  (Bottom): Steve Hurst @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database, Steve Hurst. photograph by Steve Hurst provided by ARS Systematic Botany and Mycology Laboratory, Takoma Park, MD.
  Right Column:
  (Top): Paul Wray, Iowa State University, Bugwood.org
  (Middle): Paul Wray, Iowa State University, Bugwood.org
  (Bottom): William S. Justice @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database, photograph by William S. Justice courtesy of Smithsonian Institution.

• Photograph of Cedar Waxwing fledglings used in artwork at the top of this page courtesy of Esther McWilliams, from  "Beauty of the Big Horns," produced in cooperation with the Big Horn Forest Service, and displayed here with permission from the Big Horn Mountain Country Coalition.

• Photograph of Cedar Waxwing with berries, courtesy of USFWS/Middle Mississippi River NWR

• Photograph of Cedar Waxwing with young in nest, courtesy of G. K. Peck, Environment Canada.

• Photograph of adult Cedar Waxwing on tree branch, courtesy of Ed McHugh, Rutgers University — Camden, Office of Information Technology. 

• Video of adult Cedar Waxwings eating berries, courtesy of Ed McHugh, Rutgers University — Camden, Office of Information Technology. 

• Photograph of 2 young boys with their "geocache", courtesy of Warren Packard, aka "Geek Dad".  (Blogsite= http://blog.wired.com/geekdad/2007/03/geocaching_a_go.htm)

• Photograph of woman with young boy stashing their cache in a tree, courtesy of Jim Braaten (www.SportsmansBlog.com).

• Photograph of "Geocaching Family", courtesy of Jim Dissette. (website: http://northerncamper.com).

Here is a listing of phone numbers, web sites and organizations that you might find helpful or interesting in your search for ideas to manage your wild acres. DNR Online... Inspired by nature! www.dnr.maryland.gov 

Project FeederWatch is a winter-long survey of birds that visit feeders at backyards, nature centers, community areas, and other locales in North America. FeederWatchers periodically count the highest numbers of each species they see at their feeders from November through early April. FeederWatch helps scientists track broadscale movements of winter bird populations and long-term trends in bird distribution and abundance. Project FeederWatch is operated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in partnership with the National Audubon Society, Bird Studies Canada, and Canadian Nature Federation. http://birds.cornell.edu/pfw

National Wildlife Federation - Details on their backyard habitat program www.nwf.org or call them at 1-800-822-9919.

Native plants - The Maryland Native Plant Society offers information dedicated to protecting, conserving and restoring Maryland's native plants and habitats, visit them at www.mdflora.org. 

Maryland Cooperative Extension offers home and garden information, tips publications, plant problems, Bay issues, and other links at www.agnr.umd.edu/MCE/index.cfm  Their Home and Garden Information number is statewide and can be reached at 1-800-342-2507, and from outside Maryland at 1-410-531-1757. 

Bioimages, a project of Vanderbilt University, provides educational information to the public on biologically related topics, as well as a source of biological images for personal and non-commercial use. http://bioimages.cas.vanderbilt.edu/

Maryland's "Becoming an Outdoors - Woman Program "- One of the topics covered in the three-day workshops is Backyard Wildlife.

For a free wildlife & native plant newsletter, visit the WindStar Wildlife Institute at www.windstar.org and subscribe to the WindStar Wildlife Garden Weekly e-newsletter. You can also visit this website to learn how you can become a certified wildlife habitat naturalist.

For more information on butterflies - visit the North American Butterfly Association at www.naba.org

Warm season grasses and wild meadows for upland nesting birds visit Pheasants Forever at www.pheasantsforever.org or e-mail: pf@pheasantsforever.org

Habichat, the newsletter for Maryland's Stewards of Backyard Wildlife, is published by the Wildlife and Heritage Service, Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

The facilities and services of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources are available to all without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, physical or mental disability. This document is available in alternative format upon request from a qualified individual with a disability.