American Hazelnut

Description:

Fruit is a round nut with a hard shell,1/2 inch in diameter, enveloped in a pair of bracts that form a stiff, green husk, with up to 5 nuts in a cluster. The husk is up to twice as long as the nut, jagged and ruffled at the tip, and covered in a mix of soft, white hairs that are often red.

Habitat:

Spotted at Tamarac NWR along the Ottertail River at the Chippewa Picnic area. Habitat: part shade, sun, moist to dry, open woods, thickets.

Notes:

The nuts are very good eating. Squirrels and other wildlife also like to eat the hazelnuts.