Purple Leaved Corkscrew Hazel Trees

Corylus avellana Red Majestic

Compact Corkscrew Hazel Red Majestic is an ideal specimen tree for small spaces, providing interest in every season, making it an important member of our range of small garden trees. Ornamental purplish-pink catkins adorn the bare contorted branches from late winter, creating a structural focal point in beds and borders. The attractive foliage is large and ribbed, emerging dark purple and taking on green tints as the leaves age. By autumn, the deep purple and green foliage of Red Majestic Hazel is complemented with edible red hazelnuts that attract wildlife to the garden.
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Features

• Final Height/Spread: 4m by 4m
• Foliage: Deciduous, dark purple leaves
• Soil: Moist, well drained
• Native
• RHS Award of Garden Merit
• Uses: Small garden, specimen tree, wildlife garden
• Features: Contorted branches, red-purple catkins, foliage flushed green in autumn

Growing Hazel Red Majestic

This versatile tree thrives in full sun or partial shade, although the best foliage colour is produced in a sunny position. Hazel Red Majestic tolerates most types of soil and is particularly well suited to chalky conditions. It is an extremely robust and hardy tree with good frost resistance.

Water regularly for the first year after planting, especially in dry conditions and prune only if necessary, removing dead, diseased and damaged material during the dormant period.

Planting Companions for Red Majestic

Hazel Red Majestic is a delightful specimen tree for small gardens, working well in mixed borders and wildlife gardens. Try underplanting with early spring bulbs such as crocus and daffodils which will add colour beneath the architectural splendour of the bare branches. Later in the year, companion shrubs like Berberis thunbergii Atropurpurea and herbaceous perennials such as Heuchera Palace Purple and Hylotelephium telephium Purple Emperor will pick up on the red-purple tones of the hazel foliage.

Did You Know?

The red-purple foliage colour of this Corkscrew Hazel comes from high levels of anthocyanins in proportion to chlorophyll in the leaves. Red Majestic completes the array of deep, dusky hues with its plum coloured catkins in late winter and red nuts in autumn.

Ensure trees are watered regularly in dry weather for the first year. It is not necessary to prune every year. Dead, diseased and damaged wood can be cut out if necessary during the dormant period.