A plant that is more beautiful when it loses its leaves

Do you know a plant that looks even more spectacular in autumn than in summer? The most interesting thing is that this plant is not easy to grow even in Lithuania. Meet, this is a «curly hazelnut»! This plant is actually a common hazelnut variety ‘Contorta’ or ‘Red Majestic’, let’s learn more about them.

TWISTED twigs

Hazelnut ,Twisted‘ (lat. Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’) is most beautiful in winter, because its branches are so beautifully intertwined and twisted that it looks like a work of art. Maybe that’s why it got its name»curly hazelnut«. You will not confuse this plant with any other and it will really catch your attention. The older the hazel, the more twisting branches it has, the more sculptural the whole bush looks. Those who do not know will still wonder whether this is really a living bush or some kind of art installation.

The «curly hazel» is not confused with other plants because of its twisted sculptural branches. photo L. Liubertaitė

The twigs exploding in spring look equally impressive, already in March they accumulate horses. The upright horsetails contrast with branches that look in all directions, making the entire bush seem even more ornate.

«Curly hazelnut» with horsetails in spring. Pixabay photo.

The branches are very well curled, it’s a shame that the summer leaves hide them. photo L. Liubertaitė

HazelnutMajestic redHorsetails are yellowish, which makes them even more striking when paired with explosive purple leaves.

And in summer, unfortunately, the bush is no longer so great. Since the leaves completely cover the twisted branches, only the general shape of the bush is visible. In winter, a wide bush looks full and large, but in summer, with leaves, it looks a little strange, crooked, stretched out. But here the leaves serve beauty.

In summer the beauty of the hazel branches is not visible. Klaipėda, photo L. Liubertaitė (thanks to our course participant for the opportunity to shoot)

THE BEAUTY OF HAZELNUT LEAVES

Hazelnuts have beautiful leaves: you can’t take what you have here. The leaves of the hazelnut are large, shiny. The most common type of hazelnut that can be seen in the woods, or the variety of hazelnut that is grown on farms for its fruit, usually has green or purple leaves (depending on the variety). The purple leaves of the hazelnut are dark and rich in spring: they contrast very well with the forsythia in flower at that time or with the bright green young leaves of other shrubs. Later the purple color begins to fadeuntil it finally becomes green.

This characteristic is also preserved by the hazelnut ‚Majestic red‘: in spring it wakes up with purple leaves, in summer it fades, the color becomes changeable, turns green.

It is therefore obvious that in the cold season it is better for the hazelnut to have no company and take all the attention on itself: do not plant other plants next to it that are clearly visible and attract attention. Meanwhile, in summer and autumn, grow plants that have a clear, non-expanded shape, so that the overall picture is «tidy». For example, decorative garlic with regular bulbs, sage with its vertical inflorescences or other plants with a clear form of spellcasting AND small flowers.

WHO AND WHERE CURLY HAZELNUT IS SUITABLE FOR

This is definitely not a plant suitable for naturalistic greenery or a traditional farm – this beauty deserves a separate pedestal, where it would be clear who is the most important ruler here. If you are looking for an accent, if you are looking for a plant that welcomes guests and surprises them, choose a hazelnut with twisted branches, you will not be disappointed. Therefore, the best place for him is in the representative area of ​​the landat the gate or entrance.

In winter, if you don’t have a tree outside, a hazelnut can be your prettiest Christmas decoration. If you add soft lighting, this decorative element will delight you much longer than the festive period.

Hazelnut ‘Red Majestic’ in the representative area of ​​the ground. Vilnius, photo L. Liubertaitė

We recommend planting the hazelnut in front of the house also because we rarely go out in winter. And to grow such a hazelnut and not see it would simply be a shame. So plant it where you can admire it every day. For these reasons Contorta or Red Majestic is the right place for hazelnut in front of the windowso you can look at the intertwined branches when you’re inside in winter.

ATTENTION IS REQUIRED

Before choosing, remember one important thing so as not to be disappointed. These hazelnuts grow very slowly. It is written that in Lithuania it grows up to 2-2.5 m in height and width, but if you buy a small one and plant it in a representative area, you may lose patience. You need to give him a couple of years to warm his feet in a new place, and only then he will begin to grow more seriously.

The «curly hazel» does not grow quickly, consider this when purchasing. photo L. Liubertaitė

Bring nuts too, but don’t expect to grow them quickly and have enough to feed yourself and others. It’s a bush for beautynot for food.

If you have already decided that this beauty will fit into your soil, we recommend purchasing a bush that is as mature as possible so that you can immediately enjoy all its beauty.

The article was also published on the LRytas.lt portal.

If you are looking for other ideas for a representative spaceLight «6 tips for beautifully organizing the entrance to your home„.