European filbert

The European filbert, or common hazel (Corylus avellana), is a shrub or tree in the birch family native to the north temperate zone. It is one of about 15 species in the genus Corylus, which are known for the edible nuts they produce. The European filbert is commercially important for its nuts, which are also called filberts or hazelnuts. The tree yields a soft timber and its nuts produce an oil used in food, perfumes, and soaps. Hazelnuts are deciduous with serrated leaves and produce yellow male catkins and female flowers in late winter. The nut is round or oblong, partially or fully enclosed in a husk.12