Purpleleaf Bailey Select Hazelnut

Purpleleaf Bailey Select American Hazelnut (Corylus americana 'Purpleleaf Bailey Select')

Purpleleaf Bailey Select American Hazelnut is a native shrub that combines edible nuts with standout foliage color for season-long contrast. New leaves emerge reddish purple, then shift greener as summer progresses before finishing with burgundy tones in fall. It forms a dense, multi-stem plant that can be used to naturalize, build an informal screen, or anchor a wildlife-friendly border. If you want a hardy shrub that looks interesting beyond flowers and also adds a harvestable element, this one fits the bill.

Distinctive Features

This selection is prized for its purple-tinted foliage and sturdy, thicket-forming habit typical of American hazelnut. Early-season catkins add subtle late winter to early spring interest, followed by leaves that hold a darker cast than standard green forms. In fall, edible hazelnuts mature in clusters, and the plant can also provide valuable cover for birds and other wildlife. Over time it may spread by suckers, creating a fuller colony effect when space allows.

Growing Conditions

• Sun: Full sun to part shade, with best density and nut production in full sun.
• Soil: Well-drained soil, adaptable to many soil types including loam and clay if drainage is reasonable.
• Water: Medium, water regularly to establish, then occasional deep watering during extended drought.
• USDA Zones: Hardy in zones 4 to 9.
• Mature Size: Typically 6 to 10 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide.

Ideal Uses

• Focal Point: Use as a focal point where purple-tinged foliage can create contrast from spring through fall.
• Screening: Plant in groups for an informal screen that fills in densely and looks natural on property edges.
• Native Plantings: Blend into native borders and habitat gardens for a tough, wildlife-supporting backbone.
• Edible Landscapes: Include in mixed edible plantings where the nut crop adds a practical seasonal reward.
• Naturalizing: Use on larger sites where suckering growth can form a colony and provide cover.

Low Maintenance Care

• Pruning: Prune in late winter to remove dead wood and thin older stems, keeping a multi-stem structure.
• Watering: Water consistently the first season, then reduce to deep watering during prolonged dry spells.
• Mulching: Mulch to conserve moisture and suppress weeds, keeping mulch pulled back from stems.
• Suckers: Remove suckers outside the intended area if you want to limit spread and keep edges tidy.
• Pollination: For best nut set, plant more than one hazelnut nearby to improve cross-pollination.

Why Choose Purpleleaf Bailey Select American Hazelnut?

• Colored Foliage: Purple-tinged leaves add contrast that standard native hazelnut does not offer.
• Edible Nuts: Produces harvestable hazelnuts that mature in fall.
• Native Toughness: Handles cold winters and a wide range of landscape conditions once established.
• Wildlife Value: Dense branching provides cover and the nut crop supports birds and other wildlife.
• Multi-Use Form: Works as a screen, a naturalized colony, or a bold-textured border shrub.

Purpleleaf Bailey Select American Hazelnut is most effective when you give it sun, room to develop, and the freedom to look natural rather than overly clipped. Establish it with consistent moisture, then let its durable habit and seasonal foliage color carry the planting. With minimal care, it becomes a hardworking shrub that adds contrast, habitat value, and a fall nut harvest in one package.