Last month, this column focused on the desirable characteristics of Christmas trees, one of which is good needle retention.

WHAT: Contorted filbert, also known as Harry Lauder’s walking stick or corylus avellana contorta, is a deciduous tree with spiraled, mangled branches that provide striking winter interest in Northwest ...

The harsh and unrelenting winter left a pronounced gap in the middle of the flower bed that wraps around the front of my house, making it look like a necklace that has lost its predominant stone.

This contorted filbert cultivar is often grafted onto the rootstock of the straight species, meaning suckers from the roots will not show traits of the cultivar. In addition to being contorted, this ...