Hazels facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hazel
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fagales
Family:	Betulaceae
Genus:	Corylus L.

Hazel refers to a group of trees and shrubs that belong to the birch family. There are many different kinds, or species, of hazel plants. They naturally grow in the cooler, temperate parts of the northern hemisphere. The tasty fruit of the hazel plant is called a hazelnut.

What Are Hazelnuts Used For?

All types of hazel plants produce nuts that you can eat. The most common type grown for its nuts is the common hazel. Another important one is the filbert. While other hazel species also have edible nuts, they are not usually grown in large amounts for selling.

Growing Hazels in Gardens

Many kinds of common hazel and filbert plants are grown just for their beauty. People plant them in gardens as ornamental plants to make their yards look nice.

Traditional Uses of Hazel Wood

Hazel wood has been used for a long time in different ways. People used it to make wattle, which is a woven fence material. It was also used for making baskets and the frames of small boats called coracles. Hazel trees can be cut down in a special way called coppicing. This makes new shoots grow back quickly, allowing for new wood to be harvested every few years.

Hazel in Old Stories and Beliefs

Hazel trees and their nuts appear in many old stories and folk tales. People from long ago often believed these plants had special powers.

Celtic Wisdom from Hazelnuts

The ancient Celts, who lived in parts of Europe, thought that eating hazelnuts could give you wisdom and new ideas. There's a famous old story about nine hazel trees growing around a magical pool. Their nuts would fall into the water and be eaten by salmon. These salmon were sacred to the Druids, who were wise Celtic priests.

The story says that the salmon absorbed the wisdom from the nuts. A Druid teacher wanted to become super wise, so he caught one of these special salmon. He asked his student, Fionn Mac Cumhail, to cook the fish. Fionn was told not to eat any of it. While cooking, a hot blister formed on the fish. Fionn used his thumb to burst it, and he naturally sucked his thumb to cool it down. By doing this, he accidentally gained all the fish's wisdom! Fionn Mac Cumhail later became a very famous hero in Gaelic mythology.

Hazel Branches for Protection

Another old story, "The Hazel Branch" from Grimms' Fairy Tales, says that hazel branches can protect you. It claims they offer the best protection from snakes and other creatures that crawl on the ground.

Images for kids

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  Young male catkins of Corylus avellana

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  Form (Farges' hazel)

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  Male catkins (common hazel)

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  Female flower (common hazel)

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  Leaves and nuts with spiny husks (Turkish hazel)

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  Hazelnuts

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  Closeup of a male hazelnut flower using autofluorescence microscopy.