Jaques d'Alltrades wrote:

I've never seen one that doesn't grow as a multi-stemmed tree/shrub
eventually, especially in a woodland environment - and yes, I've been
involved with woodland management since 1956, and I still am.

I have. In fact, I am pretty sure I have one at present.

I do. Out of under a dozen.

If they were ALL single-stemmed, that seems likely. If only SOME
were, they could still be hazels.

But managed. Then the question is, what the hell for?

As I say, not necessarily. If most of them were single-stemmed,
I would assume that they were planted from a clone that tends not
to sucker. I am sure that someone has selected such a clone in
the past, given natural variation and human, er, deviance.

Both Bean and CTW say that Corylus avellana occasionally grows as
a tree. If there were a large number of them, I would bet on
them being cuttings taken from a largely non-suckering clone.
I agree that the question is, what the hell for?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Well, managed for their nuts would you believe.

Hazel