About
Corylus avellana 'Gustav's Zeller' is a deciduous shrub that grows gradually, reaching heights of approximately 3 meters. Its foliage is green throughout the growing season, transitioning to a pale yellow in autumn before it drops. In winter, this plant produces numerous yellow catkins that emerge early in spring, eventually maturing into sizeable edible nuts. Be sure to gather the nuts promptly to prevent squirrels from claiming them first.
About the genus
Corylus comprises deciduous trees and sizable shrubs featuring wide leaves. In early spring, they produce prominent male catkins, which are succeeded by edible nuts.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H6
Plant details
- Plant type
- Shrubs
- Habit
- Spreading branched
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 2.5-4 metres
- Spread
- 1.5-2.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 5-10 years
- Suggested uses
- Cottage and informal garden, Wildflower meadow, Wildlife gardens
Care notes
- 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
- Pruning
- Pruning group 1 or Pruning group 7 if coppicing alternate years to keep height restricted
- Propagation
- Propagate by layering or stooling or removing rooted suckers
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to caterpillars, gall mites, aphids and sawflies. Squirrels like to feed on the nuts
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to honey fungus, silver leaf and Powdery mildews