Scientific name: Corylus maxima ‘Purpurea’
Synonym: Corylus maxima ‘Purple Filbert’
Family: CORYLACEAE
Common names: “Purple hazelnut” “purple filbert”
Plant Type: Deciduous tree or shrub
Conditions:
Zone: 4-9
Light: Full sun
Exposure: Sheltered
Soil: Fertile soil, alkaline – neutral
Moisture: Moist well drained – dry, handles some drought
Aesthetic:
Plant Size: 15-20′ H & W
Leaf and Stem shape: Broad, deep purple coursely double serrated leaves
Flower: Pendulous pale yellow catkins on leafless twigs in late winter are followed by edible nuts concealed by a tubular husk
Pruning: Prune to shape, can be coppiced every few years, best time to prune is in late winter – early spring
Maintenance: Medium – low, break off unwanted suckers from base in mid June, leaf raking
Landscape use: Hedges and screens, cottage garden, wildlife garden
Propagate: By grafting, cuttings and suckers, by seed tends to loose purple colour
Pests & Disease: Nothing serious, just caterpillars eat the leaves and squirrels get the nuts
Comments: Edible nuts but primarily grown for its ornamental purple foliage, if nut production is the goal perhaps a larger more productive species would be better
Vancouver Island Grows 