Corkscrew Hazel, Contorted Filbert, Harry Lauder's Walking Stick 'Contorta' (Cor

Corkscrew Hazel, Contorted Filbert, Harry Lauder's Walking Stick 'Contorta'
Corylus avellana

Twenty year old Harry Lauder

To Jarvine 1,

I just joined davesgarden. I'm trying to see all there is and of course you can not do that in 1 visit. As soon as I saw Harry Lauders walking stick I was lost. This is my most favorite plant in my yard. I live in California and saw one in my friends yard. She moved up here to Northern Calif from Santa Rosa and brought hers with her. I searched every nursery in town and finally got on a waiting list. My first one I potted and in January while I was on vacation my dogs ate it to a stub. It was 2 years old and 2 1/2 foot tall. I was heart broke but determined, so I put in a new order and just got it in February. Again its in a pot, but in a dog proof area. If yours is 20 years old I have a long wait. Did you start it in the ground? Your winters are much more severe than ours so that probably means a lot. Is there anything special that you can tell me about them? By the way the one the dogs ate is leafing out this spring. I read that if its after the graft it will still be contorted. I may well end up with 2. Do you have a lot of them where you are? They grow good here but are expensive and hard to find. I would appreciate any information you could give me about them.

Thanks
Leesdachshunds

i could use some info too please they are almost in posble to find in my area i lucked up and found 3 it was my 15th nursey i got all three for $35 i will post pics after i pic them up

When I bought "Harry" he was a two foot shrub. I planted it on the north side of the house but moved it twice. It really likes the southern location. There are several walking sticks in my subdivision, but people have not trained them so they just grow wider and not very tall. I love this tree. It provides winter beauty, summer shade, and great cuttings for display in vases. Last year I pruned it and cleared out the center of the tree. Friends took all the pruned branches. I put several 4 footers in a 2 1/2 foot tall vase in my study. The squirrels and birds use it as a way station to the bird feeders.

They are expensive here too. I've seen 2 footers going for $100. The only drawback is I have to prune the suckers about once a month.

Regards
Jarvine

This message was edited Apr 27, 2005 9:57 AM

Hi, this is a beautiful specimen! I am buying two of these and I am interested in how you 'trained' it into this shape? Would it be the same as with Crapes and Rose of Sharon where you just remove the lower branches. I imagine so but it takes so long to grow I would hate to ruin it. Would you happen to have a pic of it with no leaves?
Thanks for sharing, Rachel

Hi. I bought a walking stick through a bulb catalog my Dad got. Priced @ $19.95. They also sent a $ .99 Rose of Sharon "tree", about 2 1/2 feet tall and very well shaped. The walking stick is also 2 1/2 feet tall. Was absolutely nekkid when I received it but it now has 4 shoots with small leaves, and this in the fall. The Rose of Sharon also has numerous buds.
I threw away the catalog, but I will post it here when the company sends me a new one (they have me in their database now, no doubt).
I am anxious to see how the walking stick does in the heat of the Central Valley. No beautiful snow pictures for me!
Susan