Most commercially harvested nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, and almonds, are produced by large, single-trunked trees. This often leads people to wonder if any edible nuts grow on smaller, shrub-like plants, sometimes called bushes. While the distinction between a tree and a bush can be blurry, the versatile hazelnut is a well-known exception. It provides a true nut from a multi-stemmed perennial plant.
The Definitive Bush Nut: Hazelnuts
The hazelnut, or filbert, comes from the plant genus Corylus, which primarily consists of large shrubs rather than towering trees. Species like the common hazel (Corylus avellana) and the American hazelnut (Corylus americana) naturally exhibit a multi-stemmed growth habit, classifying them as shrubs or bushes. These plants rarely exceed 20 feet in height. They continually produce new shoots, known as suckers, from the base, resulting in a dense, bushy thicket rather than a single, woody trunk.
The fruit itself is a true botanical nut, developing within a leafy husk called an involucre. Filberts (Corylus maxima) are often distinguished from hazelnuts by having a longer husk that nearly covers the nut. Hazelnuts are prized for their sweet, rich flavor and are a major commercial crop, primarily supplied by the common hazel species. Their compact size makes these plants ideal for smaller gardens and agricultural hedges.
Clarifying Botanical Terms
Understanding the question requires looking at how botanists define both the plant and the fruit. A “tree” is defined as a perennial woody plant with a single, self-supporting trunk, often exceeding 13 feet in height. In contrast, a “shrub” or “bush” is a woody plant that is typically shorter, usually under 20 feet, characterized by multiple woody stems arising directly from the base. Many plants exist on a spectrum between these two categories, and some hazel species can even be trained into small trees.
The definition of the fruit is equally important, as the term “nut” is used differently in culinary and botanical contexts. Botanically, a true nut is a dry, indehiscent fruit that contains a single seed and develops a hard, woody shell. This means it does not naturally split open upon maturity. Hazelnuts, chestnuts, and acorns fit this strict botanical classification, while many commonly consumed items called nuts, like almonds, pecans, and walnuts, are actually the seeds found inside a different type of fruit called a drupe.
Other Nut-Like Edibles from Shrubby Plants
While the hazelnut is the only widely consumed product that is both a true nut and comes from a bush, other edible plants with nut-like seeds can be found on shrubby growth. The Allegheny chinquapin (Castanea pumila), a relative of the chestnut, grows as a tall shrub or small tree and produces a sweet, edible nut. Certain dwarf varieties of true nut trees, such as Chinese chestnuts or compact almonds, have been bred to remain under 15 feet. These smaller cultivars resemble bushes, but they are genetically trees selected or grafted onto rootstock to limit their height.
The peanut (Arachis hypogaea) represents a common source of confusion because of its name and culinary use. Peanuts are not nuts at all, but rather legumes, placing them in the same botanical family as peas and beans. The plant is an annual herb that grows low to the ground, producing its pods underground through a unique process called geocarpy. Therefore, the peanut is neither a true nut nor does it grow on a perennial bush.