American Hazelnut

Corylus americana

Pollinator Value

🔑 Keystone: Genus Corylus supports 126 species of butterflies and moths as a caterpillar host plant in the eastern NA region. Key lepidoptera include large silk moths (Actias luna, Antheraea polyphemus, Hyalophora cecropia) and sphinx moths (Amorpha juglandis, Paonias myops, Paonias excaecatus). The dense thicket-forming habit also provides critical nesting cover for woodland birds including American Woodcock.
S13 126 lepidoptera; S10 cover for wildlife
🐛 Larval Host: Amorpha juglandis, Paonias myops, Acronicta funeralis, Campaea perlata, Paonias excaecatus, Actias luna, Schizura concinna, Antheraea polyphemus, Hyalophora cecropia, Orgyia leucostigma, Synanthedon tipuliformis
S13+S15 11 verified Eastern NA
❄️ Winter Food Source: Nuts consumed by Ruffed Grouse (buds and catkins also eaten) and Sharp-tailed Grouse. Persistent catkins provide winter forage for grouse species. Nuts also taken by Blue Jay, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, and mammals including Eastern Chipmunk, Fox Squirrel, and White-footed Mouse. White-tailed Deer browse twigs in winter.
S57 Ruffed Grouse + Sharp-tailed Grouse; S10 birds and mammals

Proximity Score: 0
Native Status: ✅ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: Local
CEC Eco-Regions: 5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians
Rarity Notes: Secure (S5) in Ontario where it is common in open woodlands and forest edges across the southern part of the province. Imperiled (S2) in Quebec near the northeastern edge of its continental range, with only 4 herbarium specimens from the province. Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC. Globally secure (G5) with IUCN status Least Concern.
S22 G5, S5 ON, S2 QC; S54 4 QC specimens; S26 not SARA listed
Rarity Ranks: QC S2 – Imperiled, ON S5 – Secure
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: Thicket-forming understory shrub of dry to mesic upland forests, oak-hickory woods, forest edges, and sandy openings. In the Ottawa Valley region, found on well-drained loamy to sandy soils in open woodland and forest margins. Forms dense colonies through rhizomatous spreading, providing structural habitat complexity. Ranked S2 (Imperiled) in Quebec, where it reaches the northeastern limit of its range, but S5 (Secure) in Ontario.
S4 thickets, upland forests, rocky hillsides; S7 dry savannas, open woodland, forest edges; S10 full sun to light shade, moist to dry-mesic; S22 S2 QC, S5 ON

Roles: Fire Retardant, Fortress/Barrier, Wildlife Habitat
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fire Retardant: S73 [MEDIUM]: S11 Fire Tolerance = Medium (not definitional)] | Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)] | Wildlife Habitat: S72 Hemenway (tables: 10-1, pp. 149)]
Notes: Excellent hedge and screening plant forming dense thickets that provide wildlife cover and windbreak. Functions as a shrub-layer guild member in food forest designs, producing edible nuts while supporting 126+ lepidoptera species. The rhizomatous habit creates a natural barrier. Hemenway lists Corylus spp. as a low tree/wildlife habitat plant for temperate food forests.
S29 hedge, food forest; S72 Table 10-1 wildlife habitat; S13 126 lepidoptera; S10 excellent protective cover

Category: Astringent, Analgesic, Dermatological Aid, Emetic, Antidiarrheal, Gynecological Aid, Respiratory Aid
S28 17 drug uses across Cherokee, Chippewa, Iroquois; S29 Astringent, Poultice
Notes: Cherokee used bark infusion for hives and compound of inner bark as emetic. Chippewa applied charcoal compound with needles to temples for headache. Iroquois used compound decoctions for gastrointestinal complaints, childbirth hemorrhage, prenatal strength, teething pain, and hay fever. Bark tea is astringent, used externally as poultice for cuts, wounds, tumours, and old sores.
S28 Cherokee, Chippewa, Iroquois uses; S29 bark astringent, poultice for cuts and wounds

✅ Edible

Foraging Notes: Nuts eaten raw or used in soups, breads, puddings, and beverages by Cherokee, Chippewa, Dakota, and Iroquois peoples. Iroquois crushed nut meats, boiled them to extract oil used as gravy and delicacy in corn bread. Nuts stored for winter use. Seeds have a thick shell with a small sweet kernel, rich in oil and high in protein. Ripens mid to late autumn (Sep-Oct).
S28 25 food uses across multiple nations; S29 raw or cooked, thick shell, sweet kernel; S10 sweet edible nuts, high in protein