Scientific Name
Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’
Corylus avellana is the common hazel that is the main source of hazelnuts, also often known as filberts in the U.S., although the latter term is technically only applicable to a sister Corylus species. This plant, part of the birch family, is native to most of temperate Europe, extending well into Russia and into the cooler portions of the Mediterranean countries. Common hazel is ordinarily a shrub growing as large as 20 feet, but can also reach tree-like heights of 40 feet. It’s not often grown as a landscape plant but is cultivated in orchards for the edible nuts, in the U.S. especially in Oregon. As is typical for such a crop, there are many cultivars that were developed for nut quality and above all for disease resistance.
The plant in question here, the Harry Lauder’s walking stick, also known as the corkscrew hazel, is a unique variety with stems that grow in curves and spirals with puckered foliage, though the dangling male catkins visible throughout the winter are shaped normally. The oddity was originally found in a hedgerow in Gloucestershire, England in 1863 and became a popular plant in temperate zone gardens all around the world. Harry Lauder (1870–1950) was an internationally famous Scottish comedian, singer and actor; his standard traditional Scottish stage attire often included a twisted walking stick. This cultivar typically grows to a height of 8 to 10 feet and provides winter interest because without leaves its twisting structure stands out so well.