Corylus avellana 'Contorta'
Harry Lauder's Walkingstick

Corylus avellana ′Contorta′ - Winter Habit

Family:

Betulaceae (Birch Family) 28

Genus:

Corylus (Filbert Hazel Walkingstick) 4

Plant Type:

Shrub 468

Growth Forms:

Bushy 187

Hardiness:

USDA Zone 4 520

Deciduous / Evergreen:

Deciduous 839

Flower Notes:

Yellow;red (Large, yellow-brown male catkins;small, reddish female catkins; emerge early in spring)

Foliage Notes:

Green (Medium to dark green, curled and twisted foliage); Yellow (Poor yellow fall foliage)

Fruit Notes:

Brown (Very rarely produced; edible, 0.75" long nut in a toothed and lobed involucre of equal length)

Ultimate Height:

6-10 feet

Ultimate Spread:

6-10 feet

Light Requirements:

Soil Notes:

Tolerant of poor, dry soils

Diagnostic Characteristics:

The curled, twisted, and contorted leaves (2-4" long by 1.5-3" wide) are alternate, simple, doubly serrated, and pubescent above and below, with a cordate leaf base and sharply acuminate tip. Stem and petiole are both glandular pubescent.

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Special Characteristics:

Notable Texture 282

Winter Interest 117

Specimen 630

Additional Information

This unique shrub provides excellent winter interest with its strongly twisting, contorted branches. Usually grown in grafted form, so it is important to immediately remove any root suckers.

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Corylus avellana ′Contorta′ - Winter Habit

Corylus avellana ′Contorta′ - Winter Interest

Corylus avellana ′Contorta′ - Stems & Old Catkins

Corylus avellana ′Contorta′ - Bud

Corylus avellana ′Contorta′ - Bark & Buds

Corylus avellana ′Contorta′ - Remnant Flowers

13 Corylus avellana 'Contorta' found

Building Map...

= Heritage plant = Memorial plant

Number	Accession ID	Location
1	2024_00288*A	PMU
2	2024_00288*B	PMU
3	2024_00288*C	STEW
4	2024_00288*D	STEW
5	2024_00288*E	STEW
6	2025_00001*A	LILY
7	2025_00001*B	LILY
8	2025_00001*C	LILY
9	2025_00001*D	LILY
10	2025_00001*E	LILY
11	2025_00011*C	LYNN
12	2025_00011*B	LYNN
13	2025_00011*A	LYNN