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Thanks to their high yield and unpretentiousness, hazelnuts are loved by many gardeners. It is important to consider that it is quite difficult to obtain seedlings on your own, 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 them for the winter.
Hazel and hazelnut - what's the difference?
Before considering the differences between hazelnuts and hazel, it is worth considering that they belong to the same family, as a result of which they have the same composition, beneficial properties, and external similarity. A distinctive feature is the fact that hazelnut is a cultivated tree, and 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 hardier and tolerates low temperatures well, which cannot be said about its relative. Despite this, hazelnuts can be grown in many regions of Russia, 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 and quite thick. 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 red buds and oblong in shape. The nuts are usually egg-shaped, the length can reach 3 cm, the kernels are protected by a durable shell.
As a rule, flowering occurs throughout the winter period and ends only in early spring. In winter, hazelnuts attract the eye with colorful earrings, which can be green, orange or pink. After pollination has taken place, the earrings turn yellow.
Hazelnuts have a fairly developed root system; they can grow in shaded areas, as a result of which they can be grown even on slopes. High yields can only be achieved if hazel is grown on a flat, sunny area that is protected from strong gusts of wind.
What does hazel look like?
If we take into account the description and photo of common hazel, it is worth noting that the appearance resembles a bush, the height of which can reach up to 5-7 m. In some cases, you can find quite large specimens up to 10 m high. Hazel consists of a large number of fluffy trunks and branches . In spring, you can see many bees and insects on the bush; in autumn, hazel attracts birds and squirrels.
Hazel bark 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 and weather conditions.
What does a hazelnut look like?
To understand what the fruit looks like, you can look at a photo of a hazelnut. The nuts are spherical in shape and the shell is light brown. The fruits are quite large in size and bear fruit 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 consumption, the kernels are absorbed and digested quite quickly, the body receives maximum benefit.
Where do hazelnuts grow?
Hazelnuts, the height of which can reach up to 10 m in some cases, can grow not only in Russia and Siberia, but also in the following areas:
- Türkiye;
- 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 warmth and sun, and this is not surprising, because its predecessors grew exclusively on sea coasts.
The best finished products come from Turkey. In warm countries, the largest and most useful fruits are obtained. In Russia, hazelnuts can be found in the Crimea and the Caucasus. It is also worth considering that finished products are supplied to Russia from Spain, Italy, and China.
Botanical description of hazel
Hazel hazel is classified as a shrub or tree-like crop, the height of which varies from 2 to 5 m. The crown can be ovoid or spherical, slightly flat in shape. The leaves have an oval or round shape, the apex is narrowed. The leaf blade is dark green above and green below.
Male flowers are collected in multi-flowered catkins, while female flowers grow in pairs. The flowering period occurs 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, while female ones resemble small kidneys. From each bud, up to 5 earrings are formed, the length of which is 10 cm. The female flower consists of a pistil and an undeveloped perianth.
At the moment when the temperature outside reaches +12°C and above, the active growth of earrings begins, and 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.
Particularly dangerous are frosts that occur during the period when female flowers have already been pollinated. In this case, you can lose almost the entire harvest. Shelters are used to protect hazelnuts from frost. For Siberia, you can choose winter-hardy varieties that will not freeze in the spring. It is worth considering that the flowering of this type of hazelnut will be long and late.
How do hazelnuts grow?
Hazelnuts can grow on almost any type of soil, as they are an unpretentious plant. It is important to take into account only one point - it is not recommended to plant this nut variety on swampy, sandy and saline soils - hazelnuts will not be able to grow in such conditions.
The optimal solution would be to choose slopes and plains where rivers do not dry out. This choice is due to the fact that for normal growth and obtaining a good harvest, a large amount of moisture is required. If you plant planting material on the south side, an early awakening occurs, as a result of which the buds begin to die during frosts. During the planting process, it is worth considering that the place must be protected from strong gusts of wind.
When does a hazelnut ripen?
The hazelnut ripening period occurs in 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 pick the fruits during the ripening process.This is due to the fact that unripe hazelnuts cannot be stored for long periods of time, and the kernels dry out quite quickly.
The degree of maturity is determined by the color of the peel. At the moment when the fruits ripen, they have a brown or yellow tint to the shell - this happens in August. As soon as the nuts have changed color, you can begin harvesting.
Conclusion
Hazelnuts grow not only in Russia, but also far beyond its borders. More than 75% of finished products come from Turkey, where they mainly grow hazelnuts.
