The American Hazelnut is native from New England to Saskatchewan and south to Florida. It is often found along fencerows and at the edge of woodlands. In 1640 the New England poet William Wood wrote of the “Snake murthering hazel,” presumably referring to the formidable switches or stems. Jefferson listed the American Hazel in 1771 as a shrub not exceeding 10 feet for a shrubbery at Monticello. The edible nuts have a flavor similar to the European hazelnut and are eaten by squirrels, woodpeckers, grouse, and other wildlife.
