Hazelnut

25 plants per unit

American Hazelnut

Corylus americana, the American hazelnut (or filbert) is a member of the Birch family native to eastern Kansas. It is commonly known for it’s sweet, edible nuts that are used in breads, cakes, or eaten raw. In its native habitat, it grows to form thickets from rhizomes along fencerows, in forest edges, and roadsides.

Leaves, Stems and Fruit
American hazelnut grows in colonial thickets reaching heights of 6-12 feet. Leaves are deciduous, alternate, broadly oval with a heart-shaped base. Male and female flowers are separated but both occur on the same plant (monoecious). Male flowers are called catkins (long, pendulous stalks) and occur near branch tips, often first appearing in fall and opening the following spring. Female flowers also occur near the twig ends as inconspicuous, the only part visible being the bright red stigma. The nuts are acorn-like and enclosed by two large bracts.

Use

Wildlife- The nuts of the American filbert are highly nutritious and are eaten by a large variety of wildlife including squirrels, foxes, deer, bobwhite quail, grouse, turkey, woodpeckers and pheasants. The dense thickets formed by Hazlenut also provide valuable cover for various wildlife species.

Windbreak- Because of it’s tolerance to drier, upland soil conditions, hazelnut could function as a lower-level windbreak in the eastern half of the state.

Adaptation and Soil
Hazelnut occurs in a wide range of soil conditions with varying degrees of light intensity, from deeply shaded woodlands, to exposed sites on prairies and roadside ditches. It grows the best on rich, well-drained soils and can begin producing nuts within two years.

Spacing
Space this shrub 6-12 feet apart.

Culture
One- or two year-old, bare-root seedlings, (10 to 14 inches tall) are used in conservation plantings. Controlling competing vegetation is critical in successful establishment of hazelnut.

Pests
American hazelnut is affected by several minor diseases which are typically non-life threatening to the plant. The plants are highly desirable to browsing animals and should be protected if possible during establishment.