Hazelnut
Also known as: Corylus · Filbert · Common Filbert · Common Hazelnut · European Filbert · European Hazelnut · American Filbert · American Hazelnut · Chinese Filbert · Chinese Hazel · Turkish Filbert · Turkish Hazelnut · Asian Hazel · Siberian Filbert · Siberian Hazelnut · Manchurian Hazelnut
6 types of hazelnut
American Hazelnut (C. americana)
N/Aalso: American Filbert, Corylus americana
Native multi-stemmed shrub with small sweet nuts; excellent for wildlife and hedgerows.
Chinese Hazel (C. chinensis)
N/Aalso: Chinese Filbert, Corylus chinensis
Asian species with large leaves and edible nuts; less common in cultivation.
Common Hazelnut (C. avellana)
N/Aalso: Common Filbert, European Filbert, European Hazelnut, Corylus avellana
The classic European filbert; most commercial cultivars are selections of this species.
Manchurian Hazelnut (C. sieboldiana var. mandshurica)
N/Aalso: Corylus sieboldiana var. mandshurica
Northeast Asian variety valued for cold hardiness and edible nuts.
Siberian Hazelnut (C. heterophylla)
N/Aalso: Asian Hazel, Siberian Filbert, Corylus heterophylla
Cold-hardy Asian shrub or small tree with small edible nuts.
Turkish Hazelnut (C. colurna)
N/Aalso: Turkish Filbert, Corylus colurna
Pyramidal tree form with thick-shelled tasty nuts; popular as a landscape tree.
When & where
Germination
Spacing & depth
How to plant
Plant fresh nuts 2–3 in deep in fall, protected from rodents with hardware cloth. Or cold-stratify in damp peat 4 months in the fridge, then sow in deep pots.
Pre-sow treatment
Cold stratify 90–120 days at 34–41°F; sow fresh in fall for best results.
Grower's tip
Most hazelnuts are easier and faster from nursery-grown grafted plants. Seed-grown plants vary in nut size and quality.
Soil preferences
Deep, well-drained native soil. Avoid amending the planting hole heavily — roots should learn to grow into the surrounding earth.
5.5–7.5 depending on species (conifers lean acidic; most hardwoods neutral).
Top-dress with compost and mulch in a wide ring; don't backfill with pure compost.
Watering
Deep soak weekly the first two years while roots establish; taper once the tree self-supports.
Slow trickle at the drip line, not the trunk. A 5-gal bucket with a pinhole is ideal.
Overwatered: yellowing, root rot, mushroom collar. Underwatered: leaf scorch, early leaf drop.
Prefers top-watering — Top-water at the root zone only — never on the canopy. Powdery mildew, downy mildew, and black rot all spread on wet foliage.
Temperature tolerance
Broad — most species tolerate 40–90°F once established
Down to species-rated USDA zone minimum
Hardy once established; young seedlings need protection their first winter.
Special germination requirements
Most temperate tree seed needs cold stratification (30–120+ days at 34–41°F) — see each species entry for the exact time.
Container growing
Possible with the right cultivar
Deep tree pots (root trainers) for the first 1–2 seasons; permanent site required for full growth.
Only dwarf, patio, or bonsai forms live long-term in containers.
Detailed harvesting
Not applicable for ornamental/timber trees. Nut and fruit species — pick when they drop naturally.
Post-harvest storage & preservation
Nuts: keep damp and cool, sow promptly. Winged/coned seed: dry, cool, dark in a sealed jar.
Culinary, medicinal & other uses
Shade, windbreak, wildlife habitat, timber, ornament, and long-term carbon storage.
Medicinal or traditional uses are shared for interest only — this is not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before using any plant medicinally.
Seed saving
Wind- or insect-pollinated; seedlings rarely match the parent exactly (especially named cultivars — those must be grafted or cutting-grown).
Not practical for trees. Expect variation.
Collect fully ripe seed in fall, clean, dry or keep damp per species, then cold-stratify before spring sowing.
Your zone's planting calendar
Pick your USDA hardiness zone and we'll estimate the key dates for hazelnut in your area. These are regional averages — always check your own last-frost forecast before sowing.
From your kitchen — grow hazelnut from what you already have
Trees usually mean patience — collect fully ripe seed in fall, clean pulp off, and give most species a cold winter (real or in the fridge) before they'll germinate.
- 1Collect ripe seed/nuts/cones in autumn from a healthy parent.
- 2Clean off any fleshy pulp; dry cones warm to release seed.
- 3Cold-stratify in a bag of damp sand or peat in the fridge (34–41°F) for the time listed on the species.
- 4Sow in deep tree pots and grow on 1–2 seasons before planting to a permanent spot.
Storage: Most tree seed keeps 1–3 years cool and dry; oak/hickory/chestnut nuts must stay damp and be sown promptly.
My Hazelnut notes
Hazelnut seeds on hand
Track packets and loose seeds you already have. Private to your account.
Par level — leave at 0 for no alert. Anything below par shows on Seed Starting and your shopping list.
Order more seeds
Running low? Reorder from one of these seed stores.
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