Looking for an attractive, durable tree to decorate your urban surroundings? Check out Corylus colurna, the Turkish filbert or Turkish hazelnut. This deciduous tree is widely cultivated for its ornamental value, and thanks to its tolerance for difficult growing conditions, it's become a favorite for civic planting schemes. The handsome pyramidal tree sports dark green leaves that resist pests, as well as edible nuts with a tasty flavor that rivals common hazelnuts. Although these nuts are small and have a thick, hard shell, they're important to commercial hazelnut orchards because Corylus colurna serves as ideal rootstock for grafting nut-bearing Common Hazel cultivars. And because it doesn't sucker, it's a great choice for barren or rocky soil. With a medium growth rate and tolerance for heat, cold, drought and even air pollution, Corylus colurna could be the perfect street tree or specimen plant for your landscape.