Corylus avellana 'Pearson's Prolific' (F)

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hazel 'Pearson's Prolific'

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Synonyms

Corylus maxima 'Nottingham Prolific'
Corylus avellana 'Nottingham Prolific'

Shrubs Trees
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Multi-stemmed shrub to about 3m tall, with green leaves which turn pale yellow in autumn before falling. Masses of yellow catkins form in winter and open early in the spring, then develop into a good crop of large edible nuts. Harvest them quickly before the squirrels!

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

4-8 metres

Max Spread

2.5-4 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
2.5-4 metres
Max Height
4-8 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H6

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Betulaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Spreading branched
Genus
Corylus are deciduous trees and large shrubs with broad leaves, and showy male catkins in early spring, followed by edible nuts
Name Status
Accepted
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea

This genus produces fruit, but not necessarily edible fruit

How to Grow

Cultivation

Does best on light, sandy, well-drained soil. For nut production, grow as a goblet-shaped bush, keeping clear soil in a 60cm radius around the trunk. See cobnuts and filberts

Propagation

Propagate by layering or stooling or removing rooted suckers

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Edible fruit

Pruning

Pruning group 1 or Pruning group 7 if coppicing alternate years to keep height restricted

Pests

May be susceptible to caterpillars, gall mites, aphids and sawflies. Squirrels like to feed on the nuts

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus, silver leaf and Powdery mildews