88 gardener saves
Corylus: the varieties gardeners actually grow
We track 5 varieties; these are the ones gardeners actually save and plant, ranked by real saves rather than catalog marketing. Each links to full care, bloom, and live price data.
The 5 most-saved Corylus varieties
Of 5 in the catalog — ordered by how many gardeners actually grow them.
#1 most savedBurgundy Lace European Filbert
Corylus avellana 'Burgundy Lace'
#2 most savedRed Dragon Contorted Filbert
Corylus avellana 'Red Dragon'
#3 most savedTurkish Filbert
Corylus colurna
Harry Lauder's Walking Stick
Corylus avellana 'Contorta'
American Hazelnut
Corylus americana
How to grow Corylus
What the Corylus varieties in our catalog actually agree on — drawn from the care records of the 5 most-grown of them, not from a generic template.
The Corylus year
- PruneJanuary, February, March and June100% of varieties
Remove any straight, non-contorted suckers from the rootstock as they appear.
- PlantMarch, April, September and October80% of varieties
Plant in spring or fall in well-drained soil.
- HarvestAugust and September60% of varieties
Harvest nuts in late summer or early fall as the husks begin to dry.
- FertilizeMarch40% of varieties
Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring if growth is poor.
- Check for PestsMay40% of varieties
Check for aphids and caterpillars on new spring growth.
Do
- Provide consistent moisture, especially during dry periods.
- Remove suckers from the base as soon as they appear.
- Site the plant where its winter silhouette can be appreciated.
- Prune out any dead or rubbing branches in late winter.
- Provide consistent moisture, especially during dry spells.
Avoid
- Do not bury the graft union when planting.
- Avoid letting the soil dry out completely.
- Don't allow suckers from the rootstock to grow and take over.
- Avoid planting in heavy, waterlogged clay soil.
What goes wrong with Corylus
| Problem | What you'll see | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese Beetles | Skeletonized leaves, beetles present in summer. | Hand-pick beetles into soapy water in the morning. Use neem oil or pyrethrin-based insecticides. |
| Aphids | Clusters of small insects on new growth, distorted leaves. | Use a strong spray of water or apply insecticidal soap. Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs. |
| Japanese Beetle | Skeletonized leaves, where beetles consume leaf tissue between the veins. | Hand-pick beetles in the morning and drop them in soapy water. Use pheromone traps away from the tree. Apply appropriate insecticides for heavy infestations. |
| Filbertworm | Small holes in nutshells, larvae feeding inside the nut. | Clean up and destroy fallen nuts promptly. Pheromone traps can monitor moth activity. Spinosad can be effective if timed correctly. |
| Eastern Filbert Blight | Sunken cankers on stems and branches, branch dieback. | Prune out and destroy infected branches well below the canker. Apply fungicides in spring. 'Contorta' has some susceptibility. |
Making more Corylus
Layering
- Bend a low-growing branch to the ground in spring.
- Wound the bark slightly where it touches the soil.
- Pin it down and cover with soil.
- Roots may form in 1-2 years; then sever from the parent plant.
Seed
- Collect nuts in the fall and remove the husks.
- Provide 3-4 months of cold, moist stratification.
- Sow seeds in a protected bed or deep pots.
- Germination occurs in spring; seedlings are slow-growing initially.
Corylus questions
How many types of Corylus are there?
The Sow catalog tracks 5 distinct Corylus varieties. The most popular — ranked by 88 real gardener saves — are shown first above.
What zones does Corylus grow in?
Across its varieties, Corylus covers USDA Zones 4–9. Individual varieties differ — each plant page lists its exact range, and Sow filters the catalog to your zone automatically.
When does Corylus bloom?
Most Corylus varieties bloom in late winter. Staggering early, mid, and late varieties extends the genus's season in one bed.
Which Corylus should I choose?
Start from the most-saved varieties above — popularity across thousands of gardens is a strong signal of reliability — then filter by your zone and sun. In the Sow app you can preview any of them in a photo of your actual yard before you buy.
Keep exploring
Corylus shows up in
Design with Corylus in your own yard
Snap a photo of your space and see these varieties planted in it — sized correctly, matched to your zone, with care reminders included.
