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Due to its high yield and unpretentiousness, hazelnuts are so loved by many gardeners. It is important to keep in mind that getting seedlings on your own is quite difficult, which is why it is recommended to purchase them in specialized stores. Hazelnuts grow not only in warm and sunny areas, but can also grow in Siberia. In this case, you will need to choose frost-resistant varieties and, if possible, cover for the winter.
Hazel and hazelnuts – what’s the difference
Before considering the differences between hazelnuts and hazel, it should be borne in mind that they belong to the same family, as a result of which they have the same composition, useful properties, and external similarity. A distinctive feature is the fact that the hazelnut is cultivated, and the hazel is a wild tree.
Hazelnut fruits are much larger than those of hazel, they have a rich composition, which includes useful substances, proteins and fats. In turn, hazel is much more enduring, perfectly tolerates low temperature conditions, which cannot be said about its relative. Despite this, hazelnuts can be grown in many regions of Our Country, but in most cases they need shelter for the winter.
What does a hazelnut look like
Hazelnut is a deciduous shrub that can reach a height of up to 10 m. The hazelnut bark has an ash-gray tint, the shoots are red-green, rather dense. The leaves are oval or heart-shaped, slightly pointed at the edge, in addition, the leaves have a jagged border, the color of which can vary from green to crimson. The width of the leaves is about 6 cm, the length reaches 12 cm.
During the flowering period, flowers of two sexes appear – male and female. Male flowers resemble earrings in shape, the length of which is 10 cm. Female flowers are buds of red color and oblong shape. Nuts, as a rule, are egg-shaped, the length can reach 3 cm, the kernels are protected by a strong shell.
As a rule, flowering takes place throughout the winter period and ends only in early spring. In winter, hazelnuts attract the eye with multi-colored earrings, which can be green, orange or pink. After pollination has been carried out, the earrings become yellow.
The hazelnut has a fairly developed root system, it can grow in shady places, as a result of which it can be grown even on slopes. It is possible to achieve high yields only if hazel is grown on a flat sunny area, which is protected from strong gusts of wind.
What does hazel look like
If we take into account the description and photo of the common hazel, then it is worth noting that the appearance resembles a shrub, the height of which can reach up to 5-7 m. In some cases, quite large specimens up to 10 m high can be found. The hazel consists of a large number of fluffy trunks and branches . In the spring you can see a lot of bees and insects on the bush, in the autumn the hazel attracts birds and squirrels.
The bark of hazel can be light gray or brown, the structure is smooth. Hazel is covered with rather large and wide leaves.
The shrub grows in ravines or on the edges. During the flowering period, you can see yellow or golden earrings hanging down – this is what male flowers look like. Flowering occurs at the end of March or at the beginning of April – depending on the temperature regime and weather conditions.
What does hazelnut look like
To understand what the fruit looks like, you can see a photo of a hazelnut. Nuts have a spherical shape, the shell is light brown. The fruits are quite large, fruiting actively every year.
Thanks to their unique chemical composition, nuts are so valued by consumers. The content of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is 98%. Since after eating, the kernels are quickly absorbed and digested, the body receives the maximum benefit.
Where does the hazelnut grow?
Hazelnuts, whose height in some cases can reach up to 10 m, can grow not only in Our Country and Siberia, but also in the following fears:
- Turkey;
- Italy;
- France;
- Sweden;
- America;
- Germany.
As you can see, hazelnuts can grow in a large number of countries, which is facilitated by the unpretentiousness of this variety of nuts. As practice shows, most varieties of hazelnuts love heat and sun, and this is not surprising, because its predecessors grew exclusively on the sea coasts.
The best finished products are supplied from Turkey. In warm countries, the largest and most useful fruits are obtained. In Our Country, hazelnuts can be found on the territory of the Crimea and the Caucasus. It is also worth considering that finished products are delivered to Our Country from Spain, Italy, and China.
Botanical description of hazel
Hazel hazel belongs to a shrub or tree-like culture, the height of which varies from 2 to 5 m. The crown can be ovoid or spherical, slightly flat in shape. The leaves are oval or rounded, the top is narrowed. The leaves are dark green above and green below.
Male flowers are collected in many-flowered earrings, in turn, female ones grow in pairs. The flowering period is in spring and summer. After flowering is completed, the process of fruit formation begins. Fruiting occurs at the end of summer.
How hazelnuts bloom
Hazelnuts have flowers of different sexes. As a rule, male ones are in the form of earrings, female ones resemble small kidneys. Up to 5 earrings are formed from each bud, the length of which is 10 cm. The female flower consists of a pistil and an undeveloped perianth.
At the moment when the temperature regime on the street reaches +12°C and above, the active growth of earrings begins, while they develop much faster in dry weather. In rainy weather, flowering will be late. After the formation of earrings has come to an end, the release of pollen begins. The ovaries are formed after 2 months – at the beginning of summer.
Of particular danger are frosts that come at a time when the female flowers are already pollinated. In this case, you can lose almost the entire crop. Shelters are used to protect hazelnuts from frost. For Siberia, you can choose winter-hardy varieties that will not freeze in the spring. It should be borne in mind that flowering in this variety of hazelnuts will be long and late.
How hazelnut grows
Hazelnut can grow on almost any type of soil, as it is an unpretentious plant. It is important to take into account only one point – it is not recommended to plant this walnut variety on swampy, sandy and saline soils – in such conditions, hazelnuts will not be able to grow.
The best solution would be to choose slopes and plains where rivers do not dry up. This choice is due to the fact that a large amount of moisture is required for normal growth and a good harvest. If planting material is planted on the south side, then an early awakening occurs, as a result of which the buds begin to die during frosts. During the landing process, it should be borne in mind that the place must be protected from strong gusts of wind.
When the hazelnut ripens
The period of ripening of the hazel nut falls on the second half of July and lasts until the end of September. At the initial stage of ripening, the fruits are green, which means that it is too early to collect them. Also, do not rush and collect the fruits in the process of ripening. This is due to the fact that unripe hazelnuts are not subject to long-term storage, while the kernels dry out rather quickly.
The degree of maturity is determined by the color of the skin. At the moment when the fruits ripen, they have a brown or yellow hue of the shell – this happens in August. Once the nuts have changed color, you can start harvesting.
Conclusion
Hazelnuts grow not only in Our Country, but also far beyond its borders. More than 75% of finished products come from Turkey, where they mainly grow hazelnuts.
