Wildlife: This species is closely related
to the European filbert (C. avellana). The nuts are not only relished
by 
humans, but also by squirrels, foxes,
woodpeckers and small rodents. Their nutritional value is higher than that
of acorns and beechnuts. Turkey and grouse eat the buds, catkins and nuts,
and hoofed browsers and rabbits eat the foliage and twigs. The dense, low
growth habit provides cover and nesting sites for many species of wildlife.
Horticulture: Hazelnuts are shrubs best suited to naturalized settings as they are large, spreading, suckering plants. Planted in well-drained, loamy soil they may be pruned at any time of the year. The European filbert (C. avellana) and its cultivars are small trees and may be more useful in landscaping. Harry Lauder's walkingstick (C. avellana 'Contorta') is an attractive shrub to 8 feet tall, with twisted, contorted slender branches and leaves, especially effective in spring with bare branches and drooping catkins. The beaked hazelnut (C. cornuta) is a native of northeastern Iowa with a prolonged beak formed by the nut bracts.
