Corylus cornuta is a shrub with simple, alternate, toothed leaves and a bushy form, similar to Corylus americana, American hazelnut. Male flowers are borne in elongate aments and female flowers are in small groups in small buds similar to the leaf buds. The fruit has a long beak that easily distinguishes this species from Corylus americana which has a shorter, broad beak.

Corylus cornuta grows in a variety of sunny habitats and is distributed throughout much of the state, but it is much more common in the northern half.