Common hazel, with the botanical name corylus avellana, is a species of hazel native to Europe and western Asia. This shrub is common in many European forests.
Hazel is commonly grown for its nuts in commercial gardens in Europe, Turkey, Iran and the Caucasus.
The core of the seed, called the hazelnut or cobnut, is edible. They can be eaten raw or roasted, or ground into a paste.
Although the name hazelnut refers to a nut derived from one of the species of the genus corylus, but in a commercial setting, hazelnuts are usually corylus avellana.
According to the New Sunset Western Garden Book, one of the most widely grown hazelnut crops for commercial nut production is the European hazelnut.
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