Hazelnut

Corylus avellana 'Jefferson'

tree

Hazelnut, also called filbert (Corylus avellana), is a multi-stemmed large shrub or small tree, 10 to 15 ft tall and nearly as wide if suckers are removed, grown for round nuts borne in leafy husks. The great threat is Eastern filbert blight, a fungus lethal to ordinary European hazelnuts, so home growers should plant resistant cultivars - Jefferson is the most widely planted - or hardy American hybrids. Hazelnuts are not self-fertile and are pollinated by wind in late winter, so a second compatible variety is required. Trees begin bearing in about 4 years.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Clover — A nitrogen-fixing groundcover for the soil around the bushes
• Comfrey — A nutrient accumulator that makes a useful chop-and-drop mulch
• Yarrow — Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators to the planting

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Eastern filbert blight →

  The make-or-break disease; plant resistant cultivars such as Jefferson, scout for the dead branch cankers, and prune them out well below the damage

• Filbertworm

  The main nut pest - larvae feed inside the nuts; clean up dropped nuts and use traps to time control

• Big bud mite →

  Swollen, rounded buds that fail to open signal mites; remove and destroy infested buds and avoid moving them on tools

🌾 Harvest & storage

Hazelnuts ripen in late summer to early fall and drop to the ground when ready, which makes gathering easy - rake or pick them up promptly and often before squirrels and jays clear them out. Husk the nuts, then dry them in a single layer in a warm, airy place for a couple of weeks until the kernels are crisp. Cured in-shell hazelnuts keep for several months in a cool, dry spot.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

Hazelnuts are rich, sweet nuts high in healthy fats, vitamin E, and minerals, eaten raw or roasted, ground into meal, and famously blended with chocolate. They are easy to crack and store well. In the landscape the suckering bushes double as an informal hedge and a strong early-season pollen source for the first bees of the year.