Hazelnut Seedlings (Corylus spp.)

Hazelnuts are a very tough, adaptable species that can produce a great deal of food or oil from a relatively small space. The edible nuts have a rich, sweet taste and are coveted by humans and wildlife alike. They are delicious raw, roasted, candied, used in baked good or when paired with chocolate. The nuts are also rich in oil and can be pressed for a premium cooking oil. Hazels respond very well to coppicing and can be managed to produce biomass, small diameter fire wood, or whips for crafting or basketry. It is a plant of many uses and we are really excited about tapping into it’s potential.

Hazelnuts tend to grow as small trees or multi stemmed shrubs. They have a moderate growth rate and depending on species can be anywhere from 10-20’ tall. They do well in most soils and prefer full sun, but will still get along and even produce a crop in partial shade. We are using them on our farm as a multi-functional windbreak to provide food, oil and propagation material. 

We are offering the following hazels this season:

Seedlings of NITKA ®: NITKA ® is a highly regarded hybrid hazelnut cultivar bred by Z’s Nutty Ridge here in upstate NY. It is a consistent producer of quality nuts and is proven in this area. I am very excited about the seedlings from this amazing mother plant. They will be different from the parent, but starting with such good genetics is very promising. Bare root seedlings are at least 12” tall. Hardy to zone 4.

Hybrid Hazel: Hybrid hazels are a great choice for folks growing in areas with eastern filbert blight as they offer a combination of good nut size and blight resistance. Our hybrid seedlings this year were grown from seed sourced from Perfect Circle Farm and Z’s Nutty Ridge. Hybrid hazels will be varying in height but should range from 8-15’ tall and 6-10’ wide. Bare root seedlings are 12”+ tall. Hardy to zone 5.

Yamhill and McDonald: Yamhill and McDonald are from the Oregon State University program and are highly blight resistant. Seedlings from these parents will have variable traits and blight resistance. It’s also worth noting that they were bred for resistance to the strains of blight found on the west coast so blight resistance on the east coast may not be as strong. That being said, we do have seedlings of several the OSU cultivars growing in our orchard (upstate New York) and so far they are doing just fine. Bare root seedlings are at least 12’ tall and in most cases much taller than that. Hardy to zone 6.

Hazels cannot be shipped to the following states: OR and WA