How to grow Hazelnuts
Turkey accounts for 70-80% of worldwide hazelnut production. There are accounts dating back to 1500 BC of hazelnuts being cultivated in the Black Sea region (historically Pontus) and the Turkish historian Evliya Çelebi described hazelnut orchards in the 1650s, during the Ottoman Empire. The hazelnut plantations are mainly located in the Black Sea region between Trabzon and Kocaeli, with Ordu, Samsun and Giresun being the major regions.
Hazelnut trees (also known as filberts) take from three to five years until the first harvest comes in.
They're relatively quick and easy to grow, they don’t require as much space as other nut trees, and they produce sweet, delicious nuts every summer.
There are several different species in the Corylus genus, many of which produce the edible nuts we know as hazelnuts or filberts.
Hazels are typically categorized as members of the birch family, Betulaceae, though some botanists have further split them into a subfamily called Corylaceae. C. avellana, the European or common hazelnut, C. maxima, often referred to as the giant filbert, and C. americana, the American filbert or hazelnut, are a few of the most commonly grown varieties.
They're relatively quick and easy to grow, they don’t require as much space as other nut trees, and they produce sweet, delicious nuts every summer.
There are several different species in the Corylus genus, many of which produce the edible nuts we know as hazelnuts or filberts.
Hazels are typically categorized as members of the birch family, Betulaceae, though some botanists have further split them into a subfamily called Corylaceae. C. avellana, the European or common hazelnut, C. maxima, often referred to as the giant filbert, and C. americana, the American filbert or hazelnut, are a few of the most commonly grown varieties.
Depending on species, hazelnuts typically range from eight to 20 feet tall with a 15-foot spread, and can be grown as shrubs or small trees in USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9.
Since they are fairly compact and can be pruned easily, these are a great choice if you don’t have a ton of space for growing trees.
They have fuzzy, heart-shaped, serrated leaves that are a few inches in length, and produce showy yellow catkins in the early spring, followed by large nuts encased in papery husks in the late summer or autumn.
Since they are fairly compact and can be pruned easily, these are a great choice if you don’t have a ton of space for growing trees.
They have fuzzy, heart-shaped, serrated leaves that are a few inches in length, and produce showy yellow catkins in the early spring, followed by large nuts encased in papery husks in the late summer or autumn.
Cultivation and History
Hazels are native to many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, and can be found growing wild in cool deciduous forests.
They have been a symbol of wisdom and inspiration throughout history, with written references to hazels dating back centuries.
They are mentioned in the Bible for their nutritional value and healing ability, as well as in ancient Greek and Roman mythology.
It was said that Hermes, the messenger of the Greek gods, carried a staff made from the wood of a hazel tree to provide wisdom and guide him in his travels.
Grown commercially mostly for their nuts, the wood is also used for making baskets, tool handles, fencing, and lightweight coracle boats.
Oil from the common hazel (C. avellana) is also used in food products and cosmetics.
And of course, hazelnuts are a crucial ingredient in what may be the world’s most popular chocolate spread. They are also used to make praline and chocolate truffles, and are an ingredient in Frangelico liqueur.
Hazels are native to many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, and can be found growing wild in cool deciduous forests.
They have been a symbol of wisdom and inspiration throughout history, with written references to hazels dating back centuries.
They are mentioned in the Bible for their nutritional value and healing ability, as well as in ancient Greek and Roman mythology.
It was said that Hermes, the messenger of the Greek gods, carried a staff made from the wood of a hazel tree to provide wisdom and guide him in his travels.
Grown commercially mostly for their nuts, the wood is also used for making baskets, tool handles, fencing, and lightweight coracle boats.
Oil from the common hazel (C. avellana) is also used in food products and cosmetics.
And of course, hazelnuts are a crucial ingredient in what may be the world’s most popular chocolate spread. They are also used to make praline and chocolate truffles, and are an ingredient in Frangelico liqueur.
Propagation
Filbert trees can be propagated in a number of ways. You can start them from seed, transplant nursery stock, or grow them from runners.
From Seed
If you have lots of time and you’re not in a rush to bring in your first harvest, starting from seed can be a very economical option.
If you can find wild seeds from another hazel tree, it may even be free!
Before sowing your seeds, you can test their viability by submerging them in water. Discard any that float to the top.
Next, score the seeds to aid germination. You can do this by using a file to carefully create a small slash in the outer seed coat.
Plant the seeds in the garden 15 feet apart and two inches deep, with the slightly pointed side facing downward.
Protect them over the winter with a cold frame or a thick layer of mulch.
You can also start seeds in pots in the fall. Plant one seed an inch or two deep in an eight-inch pot filled with potting soil. Germination takes several months, so be patient!
Keep the pots outside on a covered porch, or somewhere that they won’t become waterlogged.
Once the weather warms in spring, water regularly to maintain consistent moisture, and seedlings should appear after a few weeks.
Alternatively, you can cold stratify seeds indoors by putting them into a zip-top bag filled with one part sand and one part peat moss.
Keep it in the refrigerator over the winter and then move the bag to a warm place in your house for a few days, or until you see signs of germination.
After the seeds have sprouted, plant each seedling in an eight-inch pot filled with potting soil.
Continue to grow the seedlings in the pots over the summer, keeping them in part shade, and transplant into the ground in the fall once seedlings reach eight to 10 inches in height.
Filbert trees can be propagated in a number of ways. You can start them from seed, transplant nursery stock, or grow them from runners.
From Seed
If you have lots of time and you’re not in a rush to bring in your first harvest, starting from seed can be a very economical option.
If you can find wild seeds from another hazel tree, it may even be free!
Before sowing your seeds, you can test their viability by submerging them in water. Discard any that float to the top.
Next, score the seeds to aid germination. You can do this by using a file to carefully create a small slash in the outer seed coat.
Plant the seeds in the garden 15 feet apart and two inches deep, with the slightly pointed side facing downward.
Protect them over the winter with a cold frame or a thick layer of mulch.
You can also start seeds in pots in the fall. Plant one seed an inch or two deep in an eight-inch pot filled with potting soil. Germination takes several months, so be patient!
Keep the pots outside on a covered porch, or somewhere that they won’t become waterlogged.
Once the weather warms in spring, water regularly to maintain consistent moisture, and seedlings should appear after a few weeks.
Alternatively, you can cold stratify seeds indoors by putting them into a zip-top bag filled with one part sand and one part peat moss.
Keep it in the refrigerator over the winter and then move the bag to a warm place in your house for a few days, or until you see signs of germination.
After the seeds have sprouted, plant each seedling in an eight-inch pot filled with potting soil.
Continue to grow the seedlings in the pots over the summer, keeping them in part shade, and transplant into the ground in the fall once seedlings reach eight to 10 inches in height.
From Seedlings or Transplanting
Saplings purchased as nursery stock or started from seed the previous year can be planted in the ground in late fall or winter during dormancy, to prevent heat stress and reduce the need for watering.
Space transplants 15 to 20 feet apart and plant them in holes dug to the depth of the roots and twice as wide.
From Runners
You can also propagate filberts from the suckers that appear around the base of an existing shrub, or from underground runners.
During early dormancy in the late fall, dig up a sucker and the attached roots. Replant runners about 15 feet apart a foot below the soil line.
Stooling, or mound layering, is a method that involves piling soil around the base of an established shrub, leaving it in place for a year, and then dividing the new rooted stems that have developed for replanting.
This technique is common in commercial growing, though it can certainly be done in the home garden as well.
Saplings purchased as nursery stock or started from seed the previous year can be planted in the ground in late fall or winter during dormancy, to prevent heat stress and reduce the need for watering.
Space transplants 15 to 20 feet apart and plant them in holes dug to the depth of the roots and twice as wide.
From Runners
You can also propagate filberts from the suckers that appear around the base of an existing shrub, or from underground runners.
During early dormancy in the late fall, dig up a sucker and the attached roots. Replant runners about 15 feet apart a foot below the soil line.
Stooling, or mound layering, is a method that involves piling soil around the base of an established shrub, leaving it in place for a year, and then dividing the new rooted stems that have developed for replanting.
This technique is common in commercial growing, though it can certainly be done in the home garden as well.
How to Grow
Find a spot in full sun, or in part shade if your climate is hot and dry.
As a rule of thumb, filberts need at least four hours of direct sunlight per day for good nut production, and about 15 to 20 feet of space to spread out, so be sure to space your plants appropriately.
Hazelnuts are monoecious, which means they produce both male and female flowers on the same tree, although they may not bloom at the same time.
While American hazelnuts can self-pollinate, European hazelnuts are self-incompatible, meaning that though a single plant has both male and female flowers, they are not able to self pollinate.
Additionally, not all varieties will cross pollinate. When selecting cultivars, it is important to plant more than one variety and pay careful attention to compatibility recommendations for pollination.
Even if planting a self-pollinating species, it is still recommended to plant more than one variety to improve yields.
To plant bare root saplings or potted shrubs purchased from a nursery, wet the roots thoroughly prior to planting, then dig a hole as deep and twice as wide as the root ball and place it in the hole.
Refill the hole, mixing in equal parts compost and sand or peat moss if working with heavy clay soil. Tamp down as you fill in the hole to remove air pockets. The soil line should be even with the surrounding soil. Water deeply after planting. Once hazelnuts get going, they can really grow quickly, averaging 13-24 inches per year!
Find a spot in full sun, or in part shade if your climate is hot and dry.
As a rule of thumb, filberts need at least four hours of direct sunlight per day for good nut production, and about 15 to 20 feet of space to spread out, so be sure to space your plants appropriately.
Hazelnuts are monoecious, which means they produce both male and female flowers on the same tree, although they may not bloom at the same time.
While American hazelnuts can self-pollinate, European hazelnuts are self-incompatible, meaning that though a single plant has both male and female flowers, they are not able to self pollinate.
Additionally, not all varieties will cross pollinate. When selecting cultivars, it is important to plant more than one variety and pay careful attention to compatibility recommendations for pollination.
Even if planting a self-pollinating species, it is still recommended to plant more than one variety to improve yields.
To plant bare root saplings or potted shrubs purchased from a nursery, wet the roots thoroughly prior to planting, then dig a hole as deep and twice as wide as the root ball and place it in the hole.
Refill the hole, mixing in equal parts compost and sand or peat moss if working with heavy clay soil. Tamp down as you fill in the hole to remove air pockets. The soil line should be even with the surrounding soil. Water deeply after planting. Once hazelnuts get going, they can really grow quickly, averaging 13-24 inches per year!
Soil and Climate Needs
Hazels can grow in most soil types, as long as it’s well draining. They don’t do well in boggy, waterlogged areas, and they are best planted in light soils with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5. Soil that is too rich in nutrients will cause vegetation to flourish at the expense of the fruit. They are adapted to USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9, and some varieties can even be grown in Zone 3, though springtime temperatures that dip below 15°F after the flowers bloom can lead to crop loss.
Watering Needs
While the mature trees are drought tolerant, young shrubs need constant moisture and should never be allowed to fully dry out. Water each week during the growing season until they are well established, taking special care to water deeply during dry weather. Aim for about an inch of water every 10 days or so for the first two seasons after planting.
Pruning and Maintenance
One nice thing about hazelnuts is they can be shaped into shrubs or trees, depending on your preference and available space. If growing as a shrub, they don’t require much pruning, other than removing the suckers that grow out of the base of the plant in the spring. This helps to focus the plant’s energy on the main stem.
If shaping into a tree, remove the lower and hanging branches, keeping three to five stems at the top of the main “trunk” or leader. During the winter in the first season of growth when the plant is still dormant, select a few of the strongest, largest, most evenly-spaced branches. Prune off all other branches and cut back any other suckers at the base. Continue to remove other new branches each year in late winter or spring for the next few seasons until the leader branch has grown to a reasonable height.
Growing Tips
Hazels can grow in most soil types, as long as it’s well draining. They don’t do well in boggy, waterlogged areas, and they are best planted in light soils with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5. Soil that is too rich in nutrients will cause vegetation to flourish at the expense of the fruit. They are adapted to USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9, and some varieties can even be grown in Zone 3, though springtime temperatures that dip below 15°F after the flowers bloom can lead to crop loss.
Watering Needs
While the mature trees are drought tolerant, young shrubs need constant moisture and should never be allowed to fully dry out. Water each week during the growing season until they are well established, taking special care to water deeply during dry weather. Aim for about an inch of water every 10 days or so for the first two seasons after planting.
Pruning and Maintenance
One nice thing about hazelnuts is they can be shaped into shrubs or trees, depending on your preference and available space. If growing as a shrub, they don’t require much pruning, other than removing the suckers that grow out of the base of the plant in the spring. This helps to focus the plant’s energy on the main stem.
If shaping into a tree, remove the lower and hanging branches, keeping three to five stems at the top of the main “trunk” or leader. During the winter in the first season of growth when the plant is still dormant, select a few of the strongest, largest, most evenly-spaced branches. Prune off all other branches and cut back any other suckers at the base. Continue to remove other new branches each year in late winter or spring for the next few seasons until the leader branch has grown to a reasonable height.
Growing Tips
- Choose two or more varieties for pollination.
- Select a location in sun or part shade with at least four hours of direct sunlight a day.
- Prune to remove suckers, or remove lower and hanging branches to shape into a tree.
