Corylus Avellana 'Red Majestic'

• Deciduous shrub or small tree
• Purple leaves in spring & summer
• Twisted, semi-weeping branches
• Sun or part shade
• RHS Recommended: Award of Garden Merit

Corylus avellana 'Red Majestic' is a purple-leaved form of ornamental or corkscrew hazel. A deciduous shrub or small tree, it has a semi-weeping form made up of twisted branches. It carries pinkish-purple catkins 4-6cm long in late winter before the deeply veined leaves emerge. In autumn it bears edible nuts. Grow Corylus avellana 'Red Majestic' in well-drained soil, preferably in full sun for best leaf colour. It does particularly well in chalky soil. This is suitable specimen to plant where there is plenty of room for it to develop into a small tree after 10-20 years, with a height and spread of between 2.5 and 4 metres. Its edible nuts make it a popular choice for a wildlife garden. Corylus avellana 'Red Majestic' needs little or no pruning but it may send up suckers from the base which should be removed.