How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Contorted Hazelnut Trees

Contorted hazelnut trees go by many names, from “Harry Lauder’s walking stick” to “corkscrew hazel” to “contorted filbert.” Whatever its common name, Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’ is distinctive with a gnarled and twisted form. In late winter, pendulous yellow catkins hang from its curlicue branches, making a dramatic winter spectacle among the bare stems.

Contorted filberts make highly ornamental mid-size shrubs. They have multiseason appeal with light green leaves, panicle catkins, and a dense form with tangled spirals. They really shine in winter, adding interest to the quiet landscape after the leaves drop. Harry Lauder’s walking stick is easy-care in its optimal growing conditions and is widely grown. Plant it where you’re sure to notice its special kind of twisted appeal.

Contorted Hazelnut Tree Overview

Plant Type Deciduous shrub Family Betulaceae Genus Corylus Species avellana ‘Contorta’	Native Area Europe, western Asia, northern Africa Exposure Full sun to partial shade Height 8-10’ Watering Requirements Average	Pests & Diseases Scale, Japanese beetles, Eastern filbert blight, leaf spot Maintenance Average Soil Type Average Hardiness Zone 4-8

What are Contorted Hazelnut Trees?

In the birch family, contorted hazelnut trees stem from a sport of the parent species, a nut-producing filbert with tasty fruits enjoyed worldwide. While ‘Contorta’ seldom produces nuts, its fantastical form is the draw.

‘Contorta’ stood out in a southeastern English hedgerow in 1853 and was cultivated for its ornament. It became more well-known in mid-century America as a landscape specimen, especially adaptable in the cooler end of its growing zones.

Contorted filbert also goes by the recognizable moniker “Harry Lauder’s walking stick” in reference to the famed Scottish singer, comedian, and stage performer pre-World War II. As part of his routine, he used a distorted walking stick. Sir Harry Lauder (1870-1950) received a knighthood for his wartime fundraising efforts and for entertaining the troops. 

Feature the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit recipient in a bed or container where its seasonal interest is visible. The spiraled stems make excellent accents in floral arrangements and as lasting natural embellishments.

Characteristics

Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’ has curled, hairy leaves and gray bark to accompany its twisted branches. While the straight species spreads through suckers and can be invasive, ‘Contorta’ doesn’t experience the same aggressive spread. It does have a tendency to develop suckers that lack the curled form, remedied by clipping these at the base.

Other C. avellana cultivars grow commercially for nut production – the filbert or hazelnut – and while the sport ‘Contorta’ is self-fruitful, it seldom produces or yields only a few nuts. Male catkins, pale yellow and measuring two inches long, appear in pairs or threes from thin stems in late winter to early spring. The showy shrubs produce a tangle of branches on rounded forms, and each stem is usually less than one inch in diameter.

Leaves emerge after the flowers and are oval-shaped, textural, and coarse with serrated margins. In light to medium green, they transition to a mellow brown-yellow in the fall before dropping. Cultivars in red show maroon new growth that matures to green in the summer heat.

Native Area

The parent hazelnut species C. avellana is native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. It has a wide range of growing environments, from dense thickets to woodland borders and slopes, open clearings, and stream banks.

Planting

The cool conditions of spring and fall are prime planting times for trees and shrubs, with moderate temperatures and plenty of seasonal moisture. The moderate seasons give contorted hazelnut trees time to establish before the temperature extremes of summer and winter. But you can plant the ornamentals any time of year as long as soils are workable and even moisture is available.

The twisty shrubs also make good patio specimens and grow in containers large enough to accommodate their upper growth and roots. They need plenty of soil volume and good drainage to match the height and width. A 20 to 25-gallon container gives them room to grow, bumping them up to larger pots as they develop.

How to Grow

C avellana ‘Contorta’ is an adaptable specimen once established. With regular moisture, it becomes drought-tolerant once established. 

Light

Contorted filbert grows best in full sun to partial shade, with at least six hours of daily sunlight. They perform well in an open woodland edge planting, in a sunny border, or rain garden.

In hot climates, they benefit from protection from direct afternoon rays to prevent leaf scorch and to provide cooling effects.

Water

‘Contorta’ prefers even moisture during the growing season. An inch or so of water per week in the summer is usually sufficient. Offer supplemental water during hot, dry spells, especially as young shrubs establish.

Consistent water and even moisture prevent stress and pest and disease problems. For those in containers, provide drainage holes and a well-draining potting mix. Check the soil moisture often, as pots dry out more quickly than in-ground plantings.

Soil

A contorted hazelnut tree or shrub prefers organically rich, moist, well-drained soils. It adapts to various types, including slightly alkaline, but won’t tolerate heavy clays. It benefits from compost amendments in poor compositions like sand or clay to enhance soil richness, aeration, and moisture retention.

While moisture is ideal, standing water or prolonged saturation may cause root issues and hinder growth. 

Temperature and Humidity

Corkscrew hazel shows the most vigor in climates with mild summers and cold winters. High heat can cause stress and hinder growth. Ensure regular moisture or cooling afternoon shade in areas with hot summers. 

Add a layer of mulch for insulation and to regulate soil temperature. In winter, it warms the roots while keeping them cooler in summer.

Fertilizing

Contorted hazelnuts growing in fertile soils don’t require additional fertilizers. If you opt to give a boost in leaner situations, apply a balanced organic fertilizer in the spring (like 5-5-5) or fish emulsion, kelp, or alfalfa.

Avoid overfertilizing, as too much nitrogen leads to stress and disease issues. It also creates leafy, vigorous new growth with weaker stems.

Maintenance

The ornamental filberts need little ongoing maintenance. Prune away suckering offshoots to avoid reversion and a lack of spiraling. Cut away crossing, diseased, or dying branches as they develop. 

Contorted hazelnuts are slow-growing trees; observe the form to prune over time for a well-branched structure and to manage size if needed. Using clean, sharp pruners, make cuts just above a leaf node to promote branching and regeneration.

Propagation

Harry Lauder’s walking stick is often grafted by commercial growers onto a sturdy rootstock, usually the American species C. americana. This means the upper growth differs from the parent rootstock, making propagation difficult at home.

Mound Layering

Stooling, or mounding, is a layering technique that may bring success. This involves severe cutback of the stems to one inch above the soil surface during winter dormancy. When new shoots emerge in the spring, cover them with a mound of soil as they grow. The shoots develop roots within the mound over the growing season. Harvest the layers with roots intact during the next dormancy period. 

Popular Varieties

A few varieties of contorted hazelnuts exist with varying features, like leaf color, for added interest.

‘Red Dragon’

Corylus avellana ‘Red Dragon’ is smaller than ‘Contorta’ and reaches five to six feet high over a decade of growth. It also tolerates warmer conditions, surviving up to zone 9, and resists common European hazelnut diseases.

The most striking contrast, though, is its burgundy foliage, particularly among new growth. ‘Red Dragon’ holds its purple tones throughout summer. Light red catkins emerge in late winter and early spring to punctuate the display. If another selection is nearby, plants may yield a few nuts.

‘Red Dragon’ is out of the University of Oregon breeding program. Oregon is one of the top hazelnut producers in the U.S.

‘Red Majestic’

Like ‘Red Dragon,’ this selection shows rich foliage for a dramatic look among the gray, twisting branches. New growth is rich burgundy red among green shades of mature leaves in summer. 

In winter, catkins in dusky rose pink suspend from the tips of stems. Like other grafted selections, shoots that emerge from the rootstock or revert from the purple tones should be cut at the base.

Common Problems

While contorted hazelnuts have few pest and disease issues, there are specific fungal issues and insects that pose problems. Establishing the best cultural conditions is the best line of defense, but some depend on localized concerns.

Pests

Scales are common pests that pierce leaves and stems to feed on sap. They leave behind a sticky residue and little legless blobs on the undersides of leaves and stems. Scales look like black, gray, or silvery dots. Leaves may yellow and drop, with stems dying back in heavy infestations. Remove affected leaves (and branches, if severe).

Japanese beetles in areas prone to them can be a problem. They feed on leaves, causing them to skeletonize or turn yellow and drop. For small populations, hand-pick them off your plants as they feed. Treat soil where they’re known to be active with two treatments of beneficial nematodes spaced two weeks apart in temperate seasons.

For scale or beetles, spray the plant with a strong stream of water to deter and knock insects off the stems. Horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps rid the plant of insects if an infestation occurs, but be sure to follow label directions, as these affect beneficial insects as well. 

Diseases

Eastern filbert blight is a lethal fungal disease for contorted hazelnuts. The pathogen Anisogramma anomala causes cankers on new twigs that spread over time. Branches and trunks develop the dead, sunken areas and long, deep gouges. While the damage is less significant on the native American hazelnut, it’s deadly among European species and their cultivars as nutrients and moisture can’t reach upper growth.

Remove any impacted parts if you suspect early stages of blight. Remove the entire shrub if the spread continues. To prevent the spread of blight, inspect in the winter to get a good look at the branches. Disease-resistant cultivars like ‘Red Dragon’ are good options.

Leaf spot is a common fungal infection that grows on leaf surfaces. Brown, dead spots, round and patchy, increase in size and number and spread across leaves and stems, causing them to blacken.

Early detection is the best control for leaf spot. Cut off diseased leaves and remove any that drop to avoid overwintering for the next season. Destroy or discard the impacted parts away from the garden to prevent spread, keeping them out of the compost pile. Sanitize pruners while moving between plants. An alcohol wipe or a dip in a 70% isopropyl alcohol solution is handy while working.

Ample air circulation is the best defense against leaf spot. Also, water at the ground level rather than spraying the leaves to reduce damp conditions. Add a mulch layer to reduce soil splash during watering (and for other benefits like insulation, weed suppression, and moisture retention). Prune surrounding plants where appropriate to increase air circulation.