Hazel Hedging Plants

What is Hazel Hedging?

Common Hazel, Corylus avellana, is the most is the third most popular native plant for farm and country conservation hedge mixes, after Hawthorn and Blackthorn. 

Corylus maxima Hazel varieties, usually known as Filberts, are equally good hedge plants, however, they cost a bit more and aren't true natives. 
Purple Leaf Filbert Hazel has the most ornamental foliage, a great choice for garden hedges.

For nut production, buy the Cosford Cob in larger sizes, on a short leg tree stem. Very popular with home growers.

Hazel is deciduous, very tough and vigorous, with dense growth from the base when maintained as a hedge.
It grows pretty much anywhere in the UK, apart from by the sea and brackish water.

When coppiced and grown as a large shrub / multi-stem tree, its upright, straight stems have many uses, and are a traditional binding material for hedge laying.

• Uses: Informal and stock-friendly native hedges from 100cm upwards. Harvesting hazelnuts. Coppice for wood.
• Good Points: Edible nuts, vigorous, lovely catkins in late Winter, forms a dense thicket, very easy to lay a hazel hedge. C. avellana is native. 
• Position: Anywhere except on the coast. Shade-tolerant, happy in any soil from wet clay to dry chalk. For nut production, mid-to-poorly fertile soil and full sun is better.

Spacing a Hazel Hedge: How many plants do I need per metre?

The planting density for your Hazel hedge depends on the purpose:

• Normal garden boundary hedge: 3 plants per metre, spaced at 33cm, in a single row.
• Stock-proof country hedge: 6 plants per metre, in a double row (i.e. start one single row 16.5cm after the other), with 40cm between rows.  
• Decorative hedge within your garden: 2 plants per metre, spaced at 50cm, in a single row.
   

What size Hazel hedge plants should I buy?

By default, we recommend the smaller sizes, especially for large orders.

• 40/60cm tall is the minimum size required for Countryside Stewardship grant hedges.
• 60/80cm tall is a great compromise between price and size.
• Buy larger plants, over 80cm tall, if you need instant height, are filling gaps in an existing hedge, or simply do not want to wait for a mature hedge!

Smaller plants:

• Are cheaper
• Easier to plant
• Easier to clip to make a bushy hedge from the base
• Establish best on average
• Catch less wind in exposed locations

Your mail order hazel hedge plants are delivered by next working day courier.
If there is anything wrong with your plants when they arrive, Contact Us within 5 working days, and our friendly support team will sort it out.

All bareroot plants are covered by our Refund Guarantee, so you can give them a whirl with complete confidence.