Corylus avellana is a large deciduous shrub that is commonly known as the European Hazel. It is native to the British isles, western Asia, and as far south as the Iberian peninsula. It is cultivated for its nuts.
Common hazel is typically a shrub reaching 3–8 m tall, but can reach 15 m. The leaves are deciduous, rounded, 6–12 cm long and across, softly hairy on both surfaces, and with a double-serrate margin. The flowers are produced very early in spring, before the leaves. The fruit is a nut. It is roughly spherical to oval in shape, about 15–25 mm long and 10–15 mm in diameter, with an outer fibrous husk surrounding a smooth shell. The nut falls out of the husk when ripe, about seven to eight months after pollination. Hazelnuts are rich in protein and unsaturated fat. They also contain significant amounts of manganese, copper, vitamin E, thiamine, and magnesium.The scientific name avellana derives from the town of Avella in Italy.
