The hazel (Corylus avellana) favours herb-rich forests growing on slopes and at the bases of cliffs. In Helsinki, such sites can be found in Mustavuori, Maunula, Pitkäkoski and Seurasaari island.
The fruits of the hazel – hazelnuts – are a delicacy for both animals and people. Hazelnuts have also traditionally been used for medicinal purposes, as have hazel leaves and bark. The hazel and its cultivars, such as the curly-branched corkscrew hazel, are popular ornamental yard and garden plants.
A hazel shrub in Maunula hazel forest, photo Jussi Helimäki.