Mist hanging over lakeside tree (5)

I believe the answer is:

hazel

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'tree' is the definition.
(I know that hazel is a type of tree)

'mist hanging over lakeside' is the wordplay.
'mist' becomes 'haze' (haze can mean a mist).
'hanging over lakeside' becomes 'l' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'haze'+'l'='HAZEL'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for hazel that I've seen before include "Cob (nut)" , "Nut-bearing tree" , "Shrub called the cob, which yields nuts" , "Yellow-brown - nut-tree" , "Tree - greenish-brown" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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