25% off
25% off
cobnut 'Purple Filbert'
cobnut / purple-leaved filbert ( syn. Corylus maxima 'Atropurpurea' )
'Purple Filbert' is a large, self-fertile, deciduous shrub with broad, serrated, deep purple leaves that can grow into a small,...
9 litre pot | 1.2 - 1.5m tall
available to order from winter
bare root | 1.2m tall
available to order from winter
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Plant description
'Purple Filbert' is a large, self-fertile, deciduous shrub with broad, serrated, deep purple leaves that can grow into a small, multi-stemmed tree. A purple-leaved relative of our native Hazel with much larger nuts, pendulous pale yellow catkins on leafless twigs emerge in late winter before the leaves, which are followed by edible nuts concealed by a reddish brown husk. Ideal for full sun or partial shade in a sheltered location, it can be grown as a specimen tree, for screening or hedging where its attractive branches are popular in floristry.
Eventual height & spread
Flowering period
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Plant features
Position
Full sun / light shade
Rate of growth
Fast-growing
Soil
Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness
Fully hardy
How to care for cobnut Purpurea:
When planting cobnut or filbert, improve the soil with well-rotted compost or a soil conditioner and add mycorrhizal fungi to encourage strong root establishment. Support taller young plants with a cane or stake until they are established, and water generously around the base, especially in the first season.
Bare-root plants should be planted out as soon as they arrive. If this is not possible, they can be heeled in temporarily (covering their roots with soil) or potted up. Before planting, soak the rootball in a bucket of water for half an hour and make sure to incorporate lots of well-rotted garden compost in the planting hole.
These trees crop reliably on chalky soils and are best trained as a goblet-shaped bush for good fruiting. Keep a 60cm (2ft) radius around the base clear of weeds or grass, and apply a 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted organic matter each spring to conserve moisture and feed the soil.
Prune in March by removing dead, diseased or damaged wood, and thin out overcrowded stems if needed to maintain the open goblet framework. Light summer pruning can also help check vigorous growth and encourage nut production. For the best harvest, plant more than one cultivar nearby to ensure cross-pollination, as this greatly improves both yield and nut size.
Protect developing nuts from squirrels, who can strip trees before they are ready, by netting individual branches, using tree guards, or harvesting early once the husks begin to loosen.
Bare-root plants should be planted out as soon as they arrive. If this is not possible, they can be heeled in temporarily (covering their roots with soil) or potted up. Before planting, soak the rootball in a bucket of water for half an hour and make sure to incorporate lots of well-rotted garden compost in the planting hole.
These trees crop reliably on chalky soils and are best trained as a goblet-shaped bush for good fruiting. Keep a 60cm (2ft) radius around the base clear of weeds or grass, and apply a 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted organic matter each spring to conserve moisture and feed the soil.
Prune in March by removing dead, diseased or damaged wood, and thin out overcrowded stems if needed to maintain the open goblet framework. Light summer pruning can also help check vigorous growth and encourage nut production. For the best harvest, plant more than one cultivar nearby to ensure cross-pollination, as this greatly improves both yield and nut size.
Protect developing nuts from squirrels, who can strip trees before they are ready, by netting individual branches, using tree guards, or harvesting early once the husks begin to loosen.
Please note:
This tree is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.
