Corylus avellana Pendula - Weeping hazel

The Weeping Hazel or Corylus avellana 'Pendula' is a remarkable, rare weeping form of the common hazel. It forms a large umbrella-shaped dome where all the branches and shoots hang down. The typical heart-shaped, toothed leaves are a medium green colour and turn golden yellow in autumn. In February-March, its bare branches are adorned with yellow, pendulous catkins that sway in the slightest breeze. This variety tolerates pruning very well allowing for fun shapes to be created. It grows well in all types of soil, as long as it is sufficiently moist, in sunny to semi-shaded positions.

Corylus avellana belongs to the Betulaceae family, just like the birch. It is native to temperate zones of the northern hemisphere. It is a small, monoecious fruit tree, bearing separate male and female inflorescences on the same individual. The common hazel prefers light and neutral, fairly fertile soil, not too dry.

The 'Pendula' variety stands out from the common hazel with its graceful weeping branches. The bush develops one or several trunks, topped with a dense, rounded, and trailing crown. At maturity, it can reach up to 7m in height, but only 3 to 4m wide, depending on where it is grafted on the trunk or where the trunk cord emerges. Its young, hairy branches are green and covered with a light brown bark that becomes very dark over time. The flowering occurs in two stages: in February-March, the pale yellow male flowers appear, gathered in pendulous catkins measuring 5cm long, which are loved by bees. In the second stage, insignificant female flowers bloom in March-April. They have the shape of a bud measuring 6 to 8mm, partially hiding bright red stigmas. The very dense foliage appears late in May and gives the 'Pendula' Corylus its bushy appearance. The leaves are round, strongly veined, and 6 to 10cm long. The rare fruits that form on 1-year-old shoots in older subjects are achenes called hazelnuts. They are white and turn brown-red when ripe. Grouped in 1 to 4, they measure 2cm in diameter and ripen at the end of August or early September. The foliage turns yellow before falling in autumn.

This weeping hazel will delight enthusiasts of unique plants. Easy to grow in ordinary soil, it is not recommended for excessively dry situations. It is magnificent when planted as a solitary specimen, and this is the only way to truly showcase it. Plan for an appropriate ground space, as its branches descend to the ground, so you can't plant other plants at its base.