Corylus avellana 'Contorta' Tree

The Corkscrew hazel tree is an attractive small tree or large shrub with heart shaped yellow foliage that appears in spring, turning green throughout the summer before buttery-yellow again in the autumn. This twisted hazel is most popular for its contorted branches that twist and corkscrew in spirals providing year round interest but particularly in winter when the leaves do not disguise the interesting form. Long yellow catkins on bare branches, from winter to spring, make a pretty feature and the stems are often used in flower arranging.

Corylus avellana 'Contorta' is a small tree or large shrub that will grow to 4 x 4 metres in 20 years and eventually form a rounded shape. This twisted hazel tree do well in any soil type (with a preference for chalky soil) that is moist but well-drained in partial shade or full sun. Exposure is well tolerated by this small, eventually rounded, ornamental tree.

AKA Corkscrew hazel tree, Corylus avellana, Corylus Contorta

• Common name: Corkscrew Hazel tree
• Height and spread in 20 years: 4 x 4 metres
• Seasons of interest: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter
• Foliage: Yellow green leaves in spring, summer and autumn
• Flowers: Yellow catkins from winter to spring
• Soil: Tolerant of most soil types and suited to moist but well-drained sites

Planting Advice for Corylus avellana Contorta Trees

Our pot grown Twisted Hazel trees can be planted at any time of the year, unlike bare root trees. Start by removing weeds and grass within a metre of your intended planting hole. Dig a square hole as deep as your root mass and approximately 2x as wide. To help your tree establish more effectively, especially if you have poor soil, we advise sprinkling root grow in the hole.

Take the pot off and gently loosen the tree roots, then place into the planting hole. Mix 50% of the original soil with 50% compost, then fill in the hole and firm around gently. Make sure not to bank the soil up around the collar of the tree. We advise planting young trees with a stake and tie kit and, if your area is prone to rabbits, a rabbit guard.

Aftercare Advice for Corylus avellana Contorta Trees

If you’re planting in spring, summer or dry weather, water well and regularly for the first few months. Make sure to keep an eye on young Corkscrew Hazel trees and increase watering if there are extended periods of hot or dry weather. If you’re planting in autumn, you may only need to water your tree a little. We stock a range of irrigation kits, suitable for a variety of planting schemes.

Pruning Advice for Corylus avellana Contorta Trees

Twisted Hazel trees do not require regular pruning. If you wish to tidy up your hazel shrub, do this during the dormant season. Focus on removing any damaged, diseased or overcrowded branches.

Delivery Costs

1 small tree (most under 1.5 metres in height) : £9.95 + vat

1 medium tree (most 1.5-2 metres in height) or 2-4 small trees: £11.95 + vat

2+ medium trees or 5+ small trees: £14.95 + vat

1-4 trees delivered by pallet to kerbside (inc. mature Japanese Maples): 24.95 + vat

Mature trees, pleached trees or orders too large for pallet: Cost is calculated in the checkout process and varies by postcode not quantity. Starts from £48 + vat.

The above prices exclude the Scottish Highlands, where delivery starts from £24.95 + vat and is calculated in the checkout process. Please note, we are unable to deliver outside of Mainland UK.

Delivery Timescales

All trees are carefully packed by our experienced team and most are delivered within 3 weeks of placing the order, unless stated otherwise. There's no need to be in to receive your order and you can request where it is left via the checkout.

For pleached and mature trees (trees over 2.5m in height), we group orders together by geographic area for specialist delivery - we will contact these customers about the delivery date.

Trees on pre-order are still growing and an estimate of when they will be ready is on the product/basket page. Orders are despatched once all trees are ready.

Gift trees and those required by a specific date can be accommodated with pleasure, although we accept no legal responsibility for late deliveries.

Our nursery is a busy despatch centre, so please make an appointment to collect or view trees.  For collections, despatch charges will be refunded.

The product table at the bottom of the page gives the forms and sizes available for this variety. Please note, photos are a guideline as all plants are unique. Below are definitions of terms:

Supplied Size: Height measured from the top of the pot.

Single Stem / Pruned and shaped: Classic shaped tree with a single stem that has had pruning to help create a beautiful, natural shape.

Top grafted: A height noted next to this form refers to the length of clear stem, which will not grow taller. Only the head of branches will develop. Top grafted trees do not require complicated pruning and are ideal for small spaces.

Feathered: A feathered tree has branches from the bottom of the trunk all the way up. These branches can be removed if a clear stem is required.

Multi Stem: A multi stem tree has two or more stems arising from or near ground level, growing from one root system.

Bush: A plant with many stems low down, rather than one clear stem.

Clump: Several plants in one pot that can give the appearance of a multi stemmed and very bushy tree.

Climber: A plant that is a natural climber and will be delivered usually running up a bamboo cane, ready to position in the garden.

Standard Tree: A more mature tree with an upright clear stem of approximately 1.8m-2.0m (measured from the soil to the lowest branches of the crown). Standards are available in different forms relating to their girth size (circumference of the stem measured 1m above soil level), not height:

Standard  either 6-10cm or 8-10cm girth, approximately 2.5-3.0m in height
Premium Standard  10-12cm girth, approximately 3.0-3.5m in height
Heavy Standard  12-14cm girth, approximately 3.5-4.5m in height
Extra Heavy Standard 14-16cm girth approximately 4.0-6m in height