Beech
Beech nuts are small and triangular in a spiny husk.
Use the botanical sourceCulinary reference
Common hazel.
Corylus avellana
Also found as Common hazel · Cobnut
A multi-stemmed hedgerow shrub with soft, round toothed leaves, yellow catkins in winter and edible nuts in autumn.
Sources checked 27 September 2026 · Specialist field review pending
Before any gathering or use
Tree nut allergy is common and can be severe.
Where it grows
Tracked records and known growing zone
- Verified records
- 53,992
- People who recorded it
- 16,712
- Most records (northern hemisphere)
- Apr–Aug
- Records span
- 1940–2026
| January | 2300 |
|---|---|
| February | 4029 |
| March | 3727 |
| April | 7254 |
| May | 7413 |
| June | 6217 |
| July | 7382 |
| August | 5703 |
| September | 3742 |
| October | 3165 |
| November | 1955 |
| December | 1083 |
Research-grade iNaturalist records, snapshot Aug 27, 2026. The growing zone combines areas where different people have repeatedly verified it. Records show where people looked and found it, not current abundance or permission to gather.
01 / Learn to see
Field marks
- 01
Round, softly hairy leaves with double-toothed edges and a pointed tip.
- 02
Yellow lamb's-tail catkins in late winter.
- 03
Nuts in leafy husks, ripening brown in autumn.
These are study prompts, not a complete identification key. Confirm the full plant with a regional flora and an experienced local identifier.
02 / Resolve the differences
Look closely. Compare.
Selected comparisons only. Other lookalikes may occur locally.
03 / Meet the place
Habitat & season
Range context
Native to Europe and western Asia.
Watch the plant stage
Catkins in late winter; nuts in early autumn.
Stage guidance is not a local forecast. Check your climate, elevation and a regional source; no month-shift formula is used here.
04 / Gather with care
Documented use & care
Parts discussed: Nut
Eat ripe nuts raw or roasted.
Care for the patch
Squirrels and dormice depend on hazelnuts; take a share.
Preparation & storage essentials05 / Follow the evidence
Sources & review
- Wikipedia · Corylus avellanaBotanical description, range and documented use
- iNaturalist · Corylus avellanaTaxonomy and verified observation records
Checked 27 September 2026. Original editorial synthesis; source institutions have not reviewed or endorsed this guide. Independent botanical field review is pending. Photos illustrate specimens; they do not certify the identity of a plant you find.
Suggest a correction