Himalayan hazel
Corylus ferox
Family: Betulaceae
What it is like
A tree. It grows to about 10-20 m high. The bark is dark grey and cracked. The young shoots have silky hairs. The leaves are 4.5-16 cm long by 2.5-7.5 cm wide. They are oval and taper to the tip. They have fine teeth around the edges. They are hairy especially underneath. The flowers are yellow. The fruit is a nut. They are oval. They occur in dense clusters. They are tightly packed together. They are slightly flattened.
There are about 15 Corylus species.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It grows in forests on mountain slopes between 1500–3800 m altitude in China. In Nepal they grow between 2600-3200 m altitude.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Sikkim, Tibet
How it is used for food
The kernel of the fruit, or nuts are roasted and eaten. The fruit are eaten raw.
Edible parts
Nuts, seeds, fruit
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed.
In Sikkim fruit are available July to November.
Its other names
Local names
Byangs, Cei pei, Ci zhen, Curri, Langura, Lekh katus, Ri long, Suo jie, Thekiphal