Harry Lauder Walking Stick

I just purchased a 5 ft tall Harry Lauder at my garden center's open house. I look forward to picking it up and getting it planted next week. I am thinking of planting it in front of my house which faces west/southwest. It will be shaded by the house until about 11 am then have full sun the rest of the day. Is that enough sun for it?

That should be fine. My parents have an old plant in the backyard that only receives a few hours of sun and it has always grown well. The only problem it has is that suckers come up from around the graft and my mother tries to train it into a lollipop shape, which I can't understand why.

mefids,
I have an older Harry Lauder growing in heavy shade which has not been a problem for the plant but it took me a while to realize that this shrubs biggest asset is it's twisted branches in the winter garden. I wish I had sited it so I could appreciate the long winter shadow of twisted branches. Just a thought. kt

I've one that's over twenty years old. It's hughe! I agree with runktrun, but the catskins too look interesting in the early spring. The rest of the seasons, its leaves are large, and creates lot of shade, due to its interesting twist and turns of the branches, it hangs low all around the circumference, not much could be grown under-story of the tree. It's apprx. 50' x 50'
at mature age. Good luck.

I have one in a pot on the front side of my house. It does well in a pot.
By summer, the leaves are so unattractive ( big and floppsy) I have a clematis growing in it.

Christie

Christie, your garden is lovely. My Henry Lauder is about that of a Bradford Pear tree, only it's wider. When I planted this tree it was about the size of yours.

I have lily love's experience. It's a very big plant. Don't put it too close to the house.........

mrs_colla, what an outstanding garden view. I have a Harry Lauder's Walking Stick, that is 12 years old now. It is as wide as it is tall, and low to the ground branching, was that way when I bought it. I really enjoy its twisted branches for flower arranging.

Donna

Thanks for all the comments. The tag on the plant said it grows 8-10 feet but it sounds like it can get much larger. Can it be planted away from the house where it will be more exposed to wind? The garden center suggested a sheltered site which is why I was thinking in front of the house, about eight feet from the foundation.

I have to admit, I've only ever seen it in a protected place so I couldn't say how it'd do otherwise.

Didn't it use to be called Sir Harry Lauders Walking Stick, not that it matters. But I often wondered why a Walking Stick, no straight branches, and not strong either. But i love the twisted shape of the (here it grows as a shrub, not really a tree) Mine at nearly 12 years is only about 5 x 5 feet.

It is planted on the east end of my house about 8 or 10 feet from the house, and has done well in that location.

Donna

I couldn't find reference to "Sir" in the Common Name but according to Hillier Manual of Trees & Shrubs, "Discovered in a hedgerow in Gloucestershire about 1863". I found a picture of Sir Harry Lauder showing his walking stick that may very well be Corylus avellana 'Contorta': http://www.sirharrylauder.com/gallery/gallery5/page5.html

I think his walking stick was as much a part of his character as it was a walking stick.

The "Harry Lauders Walking Stick" is just a nickname, not the real name of the plant. It derives from the resemblance of the twisted branches to the stick used by Harry Lauder. He didn't really have a branch from this hazel for his stick.

Resin

I brought my Harry home today! The tag said it was grafted on a 3ft stem to grow into a tree form but it appears to be contorted all the way to the soil line. There were others at the nursery that definitely looked to be growing on a 3 ft straight trunk.

I found a second plastic tag on my plant that seems to descibe it better. It says:

"Corylus a 'Contorta' bush form. Very twisted branches and trunk. Started from a rooted liner. Suckers will be contorted!"

I am attaching a photo. Can anyone help identify which tag is correct?

Well, hope that the second tag is correct! If you received a rooted plant you won't need to worry about the "normal" growth that will come from the understock, if the plant was grafted. From your photo, it appears that the second tag is correct (as far as I can tell, at least.)
Mike