If grafted, it will likely sucker like mad in a few years. If grown on its own roots, sucking should not be a problem.

The suckers are straight so easy to see immediately and remove. Is this 'Red Majestic'? It's lovely.

If grafted rootstock sprouts liable to have green leaves.

"Easy" can be a relative term if you have a busy life and limited time for landscape maintenance.

Thanks for the replies. I had no idea that it would take a couple of years for the suckers to appear. Does anyone know how fast the suckers typically grow? Do they need to be removed weekly?
Thanks!

Mine grew pretty quickly. Weekly sucker removal was about the norm. I finally got rid of mine.

I've got two Corylus a. 'Contorta', both grafted, and one 'Red Majestic'. I've had the green ones for 10 years at least and have never had to remove suckers more than a couple of times a season. I've only had the 'Red Majestic' for a year or so, so maybe that one suckers more aggressively. Everyone has different preferences about garden chores, and I love the architecture and spring/winter interest of these plants so I am happy to remove suckers occasionally. Great for 'flower' arrangements, too. Eclectic, if you like the plant and the form, you may decide that whatever maintenance is worth it, as well. Whatever it is, it is a lot less than perennials. De gustibus...
How long did your red color hold before it greened out?

Hi formandfoliage,
I planted my tree last year. I dont recall the leaves turning green... I could be wrong. I do also love its form. I dont think I will mind removing the suckers. I just want to make sure I know what a sucker is first! I think I have a better idea now.

Do you have any photos of you two trees? I would love to see them.

Thanks!

I am hopeless with a camera but my photographer friend is coming in a few days and I'll get her to take a few snaps. My 'Red Majestic' had deep purplish-red catkins, then leafed out a deep beautiful red (like yours) and held that color until about the end of June/beginning of July, when it turned green. Very pretty still. I have a friend who has two enormous 'Contortas' - here are some shots of hers so that you can see what they look like with some age on them. She doesn't know how old they are - maybe another poster has some idea.
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Since the red one asked about has a red shoot coming from quite low it may have been raised from a cutting.

Wow. Beautiful photos! How old is your friends in the picture? If it originates from cuttings, should I still expect suckers?

She doesn't know - they were good sized when she bought the house. Sounds like if raised from a cutting (i.e. not grafted) no suckers. Once they get bigger the suckers are smaller relative to the size of the trunk so less difficult to deal with.

These being hazels, which naturally grow as clumps of stems with new ones coming from the bottom, I wouldn't automatically cut them all off - unless rootstock sprouts.

Bboy, the rootstock suckering is what we're talking about.