Hazel
The hazel (Corylus) is a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The fruit of the hazel is the hazelnut.
A hazel bush grows new shoots from its base, which grow evenly straight upwards and do not get side branches until its second year. These rods are suitable and were historically used, for a number of purposes (such as hurdle making). Hazels can be coppiced to maximize the yearly growth of such rods.
"Hazel" is also an eye color that ranges (and often appears to shift in color) from brown to green.
Use for spanking
Hazel rods were — mainly in the old days, and before the advent of rattan canes — used to make sticks (switches) for corporal punishment.
In school corporal punishment, hazel rods were used on the pupil's hands or their buttocks (spanking).
A rare variant is to combine several hazel rods into a bundle to make a severe variant of birch rod, such as the ones used for judicial birching on the Isle of Man.
In other languages
Hazel rods (switches) in other languages:
- baguette de coudrier (French)
- Haselrute (German)
- verga di nocciolo (Italian)