Corylus maxima Juningia - Red Filbert

Corylus maxima 'Juningia' is a variety of Hazelnut much less known than 'Purpurea', the purple hazelnut bush widely planted in our gardens. This one is decorative with its red flowers in winter and its red summer foliage. 'Juningia' is also highly appreciated for the aromatic flavour of its large nuts protected by a red-tinted shell. This bush is interesting in the background of a border or to form rustic hedges, planted with other hazelnut bushes that will allow it to bear fruit. Vigorous and hardy in all climates, it grows in any soil, preferably rich and moist, in full sun or partial shade. Its delicious nuts are harvested in late summer.

Corylus maxima (synonym Corylus lambertiana) belongs to the Betulaceae family, just like the birch tree. It originates from southeastern Europe and the Caucasus. It is a medium-sized fruit tree, monoecious, bearing distinct male and female inflorescences on the same plant. Lambert's Hazelnut is a species for light and rather chalky soil, fairly fertile and not too dry. Overly hot and dry locations should be avoided.

'Juningia' is a rather rare horticultural selection in cultivation. It differs from Lambert's Hazelnut with its red summer foliage, its red catkins and its large nuts nestled in red bracts. The bush will reach approximately 5 m (16 ft 5 in) in height and 3 m (9 ft 10 in) in width. Its young, hairy shoots are adorned with a light brown bark that will become very dark over time. The flowering occurs in two stages: in February, the male flowers appear, gathered in catkins measuring 6 cm (2.4 in) long, visited by bees. Then, the inconspicuous female flowers bloom in March. They have the shape of a 6 to 8 mm (0.2 to 0.3 in) bud partially concealing bright red stigmas. The dense, deciduous foliage appears late in May and gives the shrub its bushy aspect. The leaves are ovate, strongly veined, and measure 5 to 12 cm (2 to 4.7 in) long. Initially green, they turn red in summer. The fruits that form on 1-year-old shoots are called hazelnuts. They are large and oblong, surrounded by very long red bracts. Clustered in 1 to 4, they ripen from August to September. This hazelnut bush is not self-fertile: it is necessary to plant one or more other hazelnut bushes nearby to obtain abundant fruiting. Also, make sure to remove the numerous suckers that will quickly colonize the space!

The Juningia Hazelnut is an ornamental and delicious fruit tree that grows easily in ordinary soil. It only dislikes excessively dry situations. It is commonly used in the background of a border, in a grove, or as an informal hedge. To accompany it, choose other original and easy-to-grow fruit trees like pawpaws, cherry plums, medlars, pecan nuts...