Hazel

Corylus avellana, the common hazel, is a species of flowering plant in the birch family Betulaceae. The shrubs usually grow 3–8 metres (10–26 feet) tall. The nut is round, in contrast to the longer filbert nut. Common hazel is native to Europe and Western Asia. The species is mainly cultivated for its nuts. The name 'hazelnut' applies to the nuts of any species in the genus Corylus, but in commercial contexts usually describes C. avellana. This hazelnut or cob nut (sometimes cobnut), the kernel of the seed, is edible and used raw, roasted, or ground into a paste. Historically, the shrub was an important component of the hedgerows used as field boundaries in lowland England. The wood was grown as coppice, with the poles used for wattle-and-daub building and agricultural fencing.