American Hazelnut

Corylus americana

Found in rocky woodlands, moist to rich forests and thickets. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

Strong

Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

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Height: 9–12 feet
Spread: 8–13 feet
Light: Deep shade, Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Somewhat dry to moist

Space about 10.5 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count

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Corylus americana — fruit photograph — Edwin Hale Lincoln (1911); Boston Public Library via Digital Commonwealth/DPLA · Public domain · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Woody perennial
Leaves: Deciduous
Bloom: February to April
Fruiting season: September to October

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Recorded in 93 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 3

Regional / representative. Shown: Mountains of North and South Carolina; exact site not identified, a neighboring state.Shortia beneath rhododendrons in mountain woodland, Marian Ellis Rowan, 1901. Public domain. Source record.

Named place / source context. Shown: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Georgia and Tennessee; which part is not recorded, a neighboring state.Wooded scene looking out over partially open fields, Richard Schlecht, undated. Public domain. Source record.

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 128 animals.

Wood Duck
Aix sponsa
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Wood Thrush
Hylocichla mustelina
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Worm-eating Warbler
Helmitheros vermivorum
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus americanus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Yellow-breasted Chat
Icteria virens
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Yellow-crowned Night-heron
Nyctanassa violacea
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Dendroica coronata
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Yellow-throated Warbler
Dendroica dominica
Birds. 2 shared habitats
American Coot
Fulica americana
Birds. 1 shared habitat
American Kestrel
Falco sparverius
Birds. 1 shared habitat
American Tree Sparrow
Spizella arborea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Bank Swallow
Riparia riparia
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Black-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus erythropthalmus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Dendroica caerulescens
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Brewer's Blackbird
Euphagus cyanocephalus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Canvasback
Aythya valisineria
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Cerulean Warbler
Dendroica cerulea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Evening Grosbeak
Coccothraustes vespertinus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Fish Crow
Corvus ossifragus
Birds. 1 shared habitat

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

114CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Corylus

Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
Acleris chalybeanaLesser Maple Leafroller Moth
Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
Acronicta impressaImpressive Dagger, Printed Dagger
Acronicta incretaSouthern Oak Dagger, Eclipsed Oak Dagger, Small Oak Dagger
Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
Acronicta superansSplendid Dagger, Chieftain Dagger
Actias lunaLuna Moth

Show all 114

Agonopterix argillaceaClay-Colored Agonopterix
Amorpha juglandisWalnut Sphinx
Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
Anaplectoides prasinaGreen Arches Dart
Ancylis burgessianaOak Leafroller
Anisota senatoriaOrange-Tipped Oakworm Moth, Orangestriped Oakworm
Anisota stigmaSpiny Oakworm Moth, Stigma Moth
Anisota virginiensisPink-striped Oakworm Moth
Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
Apatelodes torrefactaSpotted Apatelodes
Archips cerasivoranaCherry Tent Caterpillar, Cherry Worm, Ugly Nest Caterpillar
Argyrotaenia juglandanaHickory Leafroller
Automeris ioIo Moth
Baileya ophthalmicaEyed Baileya
Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
Campaea perlataPale Beauty, Fringed Looper
Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
Choristoneura conflictanaLarge Aspen Tortrix
Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
Chytolita morbidalisMorbid Owlet
Citheronia regalisRoyal Walnut Moth, Hickory Horned Devil
Clepsis persicanaWhite Triangle Tortrix
Clostera inclusaAngle-Lined Prominent, Poplar Tent Maker, Poplar Leaf-Tier
Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
Coleophora atromarginataPistol Casebearer, American Pistol Casebearer Moth
Coleophora corylifoliellaPecan Cigar Casebearer
Cosmia calamiAmerican Dun-Bar
Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
Cydia latiferreanaFilbertworm
Dasychira dorsipennataSharp-Lined Tussock Moth
Dasychira vagansVariable Tussock Moth
Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
Dichomeris ligulellaPalmerworm
Elasmopalpus lignosellaLesser Cornstalk Borer
Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
Epinotia corylanaAlder Catkin Moth
Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
Erora laetaEarly Hairstreak
Euchlaena tigrinariaMotted Euchlaena
Eulia ministranaFerruginous Eulia
Eupsilia sidusSidus Sallow
Eupsilia tristigmataThree-Spotted Sallow, Brown Fruitworm
Gesta juvenalisJuvenal's Duskywing
Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
Herpetogramma thestealisZigzag Herpetogramma, Subtle-Feathered Grass Moth
Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
Hypena palpariaMottled Bomolocha, Variegated Snout
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Kocakina fidelisIntractable Quaker, Green Fruitworm, Fourlined Green Fruitworm
Lithophane heminaHemina Pinion
Lithophane innominataNameless Pinion
Lophocampa maculataSpotted Tussock Moth, Yellow-Spotted Tiger Moth
Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
Melanchra pictaPainted Arches, Zebra Caterpillar Moth
Metanema inatomariaPale Metanema
Morrisonia evictaBicolored Woodgrain
Morrisonia latexFluid Arches, Fluid Mamestra
Nadata gibbosaWhite-Dotted Prominent
Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
Nites betulellaBlackdotted Birch Leaftier
Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
Oedemasia leptinoidesBlack-Blotched Schizura
Olethreutes appendiceumServiceberry Leafroller
Olethreutes bipartitanaDivided Olethreutes
Olethreutes olivaceanaOlivaceous Olethreutes
Olethreutes permundanaRaspberry Leafroller
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Orthodes majusculaRustic Quaker, Rustic Groundcat
Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
Orthotaenia undulanaDusky Leafroller
Pandemis canadanaGreen Aspen Leaftier
Pandemis limitataThree-Lined Leafroller Moth
Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
Paonias myopsSmall-Eyed Sphinx
Phigalia strigatariaSmall Phigalia, Small Oak Looper
Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
Phlogophora periculosaBrown Angle Shades
Plagodis phlogosariaStraight-Lined Plagodis
Plagodis pulverariaAmerican Barred Umber, Barred Umber
Pococera aplastellaAspen Webworm Moth
Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
Pseudothyatira cymatophoroidesTufted Thyatirid
Psilocorsis reflexellaDotted Leaftier Moth
Pyreferra citrombraEyed Mustard Sallow, Citrine Sallow
Rheumaptera hastataSpear-Marked Black Moth, Spear Mark
Smerinthus jamaicensisTwin-Spotted Sphinx
Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
Spiramater lutraDarling Mamestra, Splashed Arches, Otter Spiramater, Otter Arches
Synanthedon scitulaDogwood Borer, Pecan Borer
Xystopeplus rufagoRed-Winged Sallow
Zale minereaColorful Zale
Zale phaeocapnaHazel Zale
Zanclognatha cruralisEarly Zanclognatha, Early Fan-Foot
Acleris cervinana
Coleotechnites alnifructella
Dichomeris ventrellus
Epinotia walkerana
Menesta tortriciformella
Nemapogon variatella
Olethreutes corylana
Olethreutes merrickana

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

0BeesSoutheastern regional records

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

2BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Corylus

Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
Tympanuchus phasianellusSharp-tailed Grouse

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Betulaceae
Hardiness: Zones 4a–9b
Soil pH: Acidic to neutral
Flower color: Green, red or white
Growth rate: Moderate
Growth habit: Several stems
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: September
Fruit ends: October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “February to April” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Green, red or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “September” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Growth habit · “Several stems” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 4a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “9–12 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Minnesota Wildflowers, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Deep shade (less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight); Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Soil pH · “Acidic to neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “8–13 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

American Filbert

Conservation status

Virginia rank	S5
Global rank	G5
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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American Hazelnut

At a glance

Natural habitats

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

More Corylus