Common hazel, or hazelnut.

Common hazel, or hazelnut, is a member of the birch family and grows in the steppe and forest-steppe zones of the European part of Russia and the Caucasus. It is a shrub that can reach a height of up to 7 meters. Its stem is branched and covered with brown zhora. The leaves are alternate, large, petiolate, unevenly toothed-serrate along the edges.

Common hazel is a monoecious plant that blooms in March-April. The flowers are small, unisexual and wind pollinated. The fruit is a single-seeded nut that ripens in August-September.

The plant is suitable for creating protective strips, hedges and securing slopes. Hazel is used to make bent furniture, hoops, and various household items and is used to tan leather and dye it yellow. The leaves are used as a substitute for tea, and soups and cabbage rolls are prepared from them. The cake is used to produce halva.

Ripe nuts in raw and dried form are used for food, confectionery, chocolate and coffee surrogate. Walnut oil is used in the perfume and paint industries. From ripe fruits, ground with a small amount of water, “milk” and “cream” are obtained, which have great nutritional value.

The medicinal properties of common hazel have been known for a long time. Its fruits, bark, leaves and roots are used as medicinal raw materials. The leaves contain vitamin C, carotene, anthocyanins and palmitic acid, and the fruits contain carbohydrates, carotene, vitamins B1, B2, C, E, PP and fatty oil. A decoction of the bark is used as an astringent, antidysenteric and antipyretic agent for colds. An infusion of leaves has a positive effect on varicose veins, trophic ulcers of the legs and bleeding from small capillary vessels.

The leaves are used to treat intestinal diseases, anemia, vitamin deficiency, and rickets. If the prostate gland is enlarged, prepare a decoction of ground nuts, hazel bark and leaves. Use it at night in the form of a microenema of 60 ml. Powder from dried plush or a decoction of the shell is indicated for colitis, nuts for urolithiasis, and in combination with honey for rheumatism and arthritis. Common hazel is also used to strengthen the immune system, increase hemoglobin levels in the blood, and improve liver and gall bladder function.

However, it must be remembered that the medicinal properties of the plant are not universal and may manifest themselves depending on specific circumstances. Therefore, the use of hazel for medicinal purposes should be discussed with your doctor and not exceed the recommended dose.