An Early Sign of Spring, Corylus americana

I was reading Shrubs of Indiana by Weeks and Parker when I realized that I had never taken the time to find and appreciate the female flowers of American Hazelnut. I found a nice thicket while hiking at Spring Mill State Park, in Lawrence County, Indiana. I like the female flowers, maybe because I had to look for them. Plants are monecious, so you can find both flowers on the same plant.

The male flowers are easy to see from a distance, as they are several inches long, numerous, and hang out in the open.