Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Stephen Middleton on September 14, 2011 at 18:29

Could well be Turkish Hazel (Corylus colurna)

Permalink Reply by David Solomon on September 15, 2011 at 12:41

Yes, I think this is Turkish Hazel,  Corylus colurna. 

Here's how its fruit described in Stace's New Flora of the  British Isles:  

 "....nuts up to 2 cm, usually distinctly flattened 
with a thicker shell  than in C. avellana, 
with girdle of deeply laciniate bracts, much longer   than nut and 
becoming stringly reflexed when dry...."  

C. avellana is of course the native Hazel. Stace also mentions 
that Turkish Hazel is becoming increasingly 
commonly planted as a street tree in England which explains why it may seem 
unusual. While cycling up  Hornsey Lane from Crouch End Hill, 
I also noticed it planted on the pavement a little before 
the Archway road bridge, on the left-hand side. 

Kentish Cobs, or filberts,  are another introduced species, 
C. maxima which can hybridise with C. avellana. 

Permalink Reply by Justin Guest on September 15, 2011 at 14:58

I think you are right, I think it is Turkish Hazel. Given how well hazel seems to seed I might keep these and see if I can get them growing and plant them out somewhere.

 

Thanks for the help.

Permalink Reply by Mary Hogan on September 16, 2011 at 21:43

http://ispot.org.uk You can upload pics here (Open University) site to have any wildlife identified. Lots of expertise in Haringay Online too obviously which is brill.