Hazel

views updated Jun 27 2018

Hazel

Hazels or filberts are shrub-sized woody plants in the birch family (Betulaceae) found in temperate forests of North America and Eurasia. Hazels have simple, coarse-toothed, hairy leaves that are deciduous in the autumn.

Hazel species native to North America include the American hazel (Corylus americana) of the east and beaked hazel (C. cornuta) of a wider distribution. The giant filbert (C. maxima) is a European species that is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental.

The nuts of all of the wild hazels can be gathered and eaten raw or roasted. The hazel or cobnut (C. avellana) of Eurasia is grown commercially in orchards for the production of its fruits . These nuts can be eaten directly, or their oil may be extracted for use in the manufacture of perfumes and oil-based paints.

Y-shaped, forked branches of various species of hazel have long been used to find underground water by a folk method known as dowsing, or water witching. The dowser walks slowly about holding two ends of the Y in his or her hands. The place where the free end of the dowsing rod is attracted mysteriously downwards is believed to be a good location to dig or drill a well. One of the common names of the American hazel is witch hazel and is presumably derived from the use of the species to find accessible groundwater .

Hazel

views updated May 17 2018

Hazel

Hazels or filberts are shrub-sized woody plants in the birch family (Betulaceae) found in temperate forests of North America and Eurasia. Hazels have simple coarse-toothed hairy leaves that are deciduous in the autumn.

Hazel species native to North America include the American hazel (Corylus americana) of the east and beaked hazel (C. cornuta) of a wider distribution. The giant filbert (C. maxima) is a European species that is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental.

The nuts of all wild hazels can be gathered and eaten raw or roasted. The hazel or cobnut (C. avellana) of Eurasia is grown commercially in orchards for the production of its fruits. These nuts can be eaten directly, or their oil may be extracted for use in the manufacture of perfumes and oil-based paints.

The Y-shaped forked branches of various species of hazel have long been used to find underground water by a method known as dowsing, or water witching. The dowser walks slowly about holding two ends of the Y in his or her hands. The place where the free end of the dowsing rod is attracted mysteriously downwards is believed to be a good location to dig or drill a well. One of the common names of the American hazel is witch hazel and is presumably derived from the use of the species to find accessible groundwater.

hazel

views updated May 21 2018

ha·zel / ˈhāzəl/ • n. 1. a temperate shrub or small tree (genus Corylus) of the birch family, with broad leaves, bearing prominent male catkins in spring and round hard-shelled edible nuts in autumn. 2. a reddish-brown or greenish-brown color, esp. of someone's eyes.ORIGIN: Old English hæsel, related to German Hasel, Latin corylus.

hazel

views updated May 11 2018

hazel Any of c.15 bushes or small trees of the genus Corylus, native to temperate regions of Europe, Asia and America. There are separate male and female flowers. The fruit is a hazelnut, also called cobnut or filbert. Family Betulaceae.

hazel

views updated Jun 11 2018

hazel small nut-tree, Corylus OE.; reddish-brown colour of the ripe hazel-nut XVI. OE. hæsel, corr. to MDu. hasel (Du. hazelaar hazel tree), OHG. hasal(a) (G. hasel), ON. hasl :- Gmc. *χasalaz :- IE. *kosolos, *koselos, whence also L. corylus, -ulus.

hazel

views updated May 23 2018

hazel See CORYLUS.

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