Corylus avellana contorta

I like these , I keep thinking about getting one, they do get huge though !

love these to.......

Stunning Janey !

Thanks all.....they do Amy, this is at a friends....I don't think it's been pruned for years and is quite tall......very lovely to see from the window though...:o)

love these think they are fasinating janey :o))

A proper witches shrub San....:o)

What a fantastic size janey, i have one in a large container in the back of the
garden in my Wildlife plot. Yours looks great!!!

The way you have taken the photo, it really does look like a witches shrub
it looks like you have taken it at night?
I love mine to bits, i bought it for the way it looks all distorted and twisted.

Did you know Janey, that if the branches grow straight you have to cut those
off as you will lose all that funny shape......You probably already know!!!

Freesiaperson x

lol deffernatly janey :o))

Hi Fp....this is my friends garden and I have often thought it lovely as you look out of her window.....luckily I had my camera with me this time...as you do Lol! It was a really murky wet day which made the black branches shine with rain.....

Oh, didn't know about the straight branches....I'll let her know, non so far on her tree....:o)

I do so love these trees. They are so interesting. Great photo

Thanks Gilli.....hope alls well with you, have you still the snow out there?

As a point of interest, the first one of these was discovered growing wild in a hedgerow in Gloucestershire, from which all others were subsequently propagated. I'm full of useless facts.... x-)

Well......I never..Lol! Interesting though, I wonder what caused it to twist this way?

Thanks Janey....all's well....and we haven't had snow here since Christmas. In fact, I don't think it's dropped much below -2C since then either. It's all because we're hosting the winter Olympics!!!!

Maybe the tree originally belonged to the crooked man that lived in a little crooked house with his crooked cat and little crooked mouse.

I think it was just a naturally occuring genetic mutation Janey.

Hmmm I wonder what a crooked mouse would look like?

Hi gilli i have one of these had it 20 years its still only about 7' high very slow growing but i love it, it looks gorgeous when the catkins get longer, I have just made contact with someone in B.C., i do family tree-ing and she is a long distant relative born in Canada, she lives in Kelowna (think thats right!!)

Thank you for posting this view of this lovely shrub. I got one for my daughter when we visited her recently. It is commonly known worldwide as Harry Lauders walking stick. It is so named to honour the Scottish singer Sir Harry Lauder who always carried a stick made from a branch of the shrub. Lots of info on the net if you type in "Harry Lauders walking stick". I have just found out there is a grafted version with a weeping habit and a red leaf variety. Apparently it will grow almost anywhere and as Sewingkilla says it is very slow growing. Happy Easter

That's interesting Scotsgran, the red leafed variety would be really unusual to see, and maybe make the shrub more attractive in the summer....as it is the leaves usually are quite ugly. My daughter has one too....about 5 years old now but only 3ft tall....worth waiting for though...:o))

http://www.killerplants.com/whats-in-a-name/20050311.asp
is the story of how Harry Lauder was responsible for stars entertaining our troops because he wanted to do his bit.