Corkscrew Hazel - Corylus avellana Contorta
This hazel is a cultivar of our native hazel, which grows in Europe and into western Asia and north Africa. It is a natural mutation or ‘sport’, and was first found in a hedgerow on the Frocester Court Estate, Gloucestershire, in 1863. The owner or tenant's gardener was friendly with Earl Ducie's gardener and cuttings were sent to the latter. When the owner of Frocester Court next met Earl Ducie he proudly showed him his contorted hazel upon which Earl Ducie said he already had this shrub at home. Apparently, at that time there was tremendous rivalry between the big houses to develop new strains of melons which would be proudly offered at dinner parties. Maybe this rivalry would extend to other fruits like apples (Osterley Pippin) and pears (British Queen), also grapes (Madresfield Court) and pineapples (Lord Carrington) which were named in honour of their estate or its owner.
Meanwhile, Lord Ducie had the contorted hazel layered and cultivated in his arboretum at Tortworth Court. All true corkscrew hazels are descendants of that original hedgerow plant. It is either revered or detested by gardeners; it is popular amongst flower arrangers and looks spectacular in winter with its twisted stems, and later in early spring, when it is covered in yellow catkins. A specimen at The National Arboretum, Westonbirt, reached 9m (30ft) a few years ago, but a good height for this slow-growing tree is normally around 3m (10ft) tall. It is sometimes labelled in garden centres as Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick. The trademark for this early 1900s Scottish music hall artist was a twisted walking stick made out of a branch from a corkscrew hazel.
As with hazels/cobnuts, it is easy to grow and thrives in sun or semi-shade, and will grow on any fertile soil, including chalk. It can withstand prolonged cold, frosty conditions, as well as salt-laden winds, if grown in a coastal location. The variety is often grafted on to common hazel, so keep an eye out for suckers, pruning them back to ground level during winter. Contorted hazel is fertile, producing hazelnuts if there is a nearby compatible wild hazel for cross-pollination. However, many bushes produce few nuts. The nuts do not breed true – corkscrew hazel must be propagated by layering or grafting. The plant suffers from few pests and diseases.
Thanks to Tony Russell of Gardeners’ World magazine (Dec 2004 issue), to fruit tree researcher Charles Martell of the Gloucestershire Orchard Group and Meg Game of the Kentish Cobnuts Association
