Western Hazelnut

Corylus cornuta ssp californica Western, or beaked, hazelnut is a deciduous, multi-stemmed small tree (or large shrub) with vase-like arching branches. It has saw-toothed leaves that are notably soft in both texture and color; velvet to the touch and sweet on the eyes. It is one of the first blooming plants, with blooms that are showy insofar as the competition is slim in January, and certainly a welcomed reminder of spring to come. In fall, the leaves turn golden-yellow and, if pollination has occurred, fruits mature into hard-shelled edible nuts, which are collected by birds, small mammals and only the most astute gardeners that can outwit the wildlife.  This species is monoecious - which means both male and female parts are contained in one plant. The effect is that you're rewarded by the visual interest of both types of flowers; puffy clusters of red female stigmas, tiny and rather unnoticeable to the naked eye, but strikingly ornate under a magnifying glass and pale-yellow male ca