Corkscrew hazel
Corylus avellana 'Contorta'
Also called Contorted hazel and Harry Lauder's walking stick
Garden plant · ShrubsCUT OUT ANY STRAIGHT SHOOT AT THE BASE, every year. It is grafted onto ordinary hazel and the rootstock throws up plain vigorous stems that will take the plant over if you leave them — and they are always the straight ones.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Every 5 daysDrench and drain — water the whole surface until it runs from the holes.
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Feed
- Every 45 days
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Hardy — a very cold winter RHS H6, to -20°C
- Size
- 3 m tall · 3 m across
- Lifecycle
- Shrub
- Origin
- A sport of the common hazel
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsNothing recorded against it
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-09-21. Where a source says nothing, we say nothing.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.