European hazelnut flowers can survive down to at least 10F (-12.2C), and when fully elongated, their catkins down to 15F (-9.4C). Regardless, they are still vulnerable to frost damage, since they awaken quite early. Only the most blight resistant, late blooming varieties should be planted in most of the US.
American hazelnuts are better adapted to hot summers and cold winters, as well as late frost, but the nuts are very small and the bush suckers quite a bit. However, they may develop nice fall colors in locations other hazelnut species will not.
American hazelnuts are better adapted to hot summers and cold winters, as well as late frost, but the nuts are very small and the bush suckers quite a bit. However, they may develop nice fall colors in locations other hazelnut species will not.
European Hazelnut: Corylus avellana
Barcelona
Zone
• 4 (5)
Blooms
💮
• early
Ripens
🌰
• late
Fruit
• 3.3-3.8g/nut, 39-43% kernel, 70-85% have good nuts
Yield
• moderate cumulative and efficiency yield
Afflictions
• Resistant to bud mite.
Highly susceptible to eastern filbert blight.
Highly susceptible to eastern filbert blight.
Barcelona is the standard commercial variety, but it is being replaced by Jefferson.
Delta
Released in Oregon (2002).
Zone
• 4 (5)
Blooms
💮
• mid
Growth
• likely smaller than Barcelona
Afflictions
• Resistant to eastern filbert blight. At least somewhat resistant to bud mite.
Dorris
OSU 309.074 (Tonda Gentile delle Langhe x OSU 23.017 (Barcelona x Extra Ghiaghli)) x Delta. Developed in Oregon. Released in 2011.
Zone
• 4
Blooms
💮
• mid ◦ ~2 weeks after Barcelona
Ripens
🌰
• late ◦ similar time as Barcelona
Growth
• 60% of Barcelona
Fruit
• 3.37g/nut, 43% kernel
Yield
• moderate cumulative yield, high efficiency yield
Afflictions
• At least somewhat resistant to eastern filbert blight and bud mite.
Dorris is as productive as Barcelona, but it is quite efficient due to being 60% of the size.
Ennis
Zone
• 4 (5)
Ripens
🌰
• late ◦ ~0 to 0.5 weeks after Barcelona
Growth
• 60-70% size of Barcelona
Fruit
• 3.1-4.6g/nut, 43-46% kernel
Yield
• high cumulative and efficiency yield
• may have double the usual nut defects some years
• may have double the usual nut defects some years
Afflictions
• Highly susceptible to eastern filbert blight.
Epsilon
Released in Oregon (2002).
Zone
• 4 (5)
Growth
• ~70% of the size of Barcelona or less.
Afflictions
• Resistant to eastern filbert blight (may be highly resistant).
Eta
Zone
• 4 (5)
Blooms
💮
• late
Ripens
🌰
• late ◦ ~0 to 0.5 weeks after Barcelona
Growth
• 75% of the size of Barcelona
Fruit
• 2.8g/nut, 48% kernel
Yield
• moderate cumulative yield? low efficiency yield?
Afflictions
• At least somewhat resistant to eastern filbert blight. Somewhat resistant to bud mite.
Felix
OSU 384.095 (Casina x OSU 55.129 (Tonda Gentile delle Langhe x Extra Ghiaghli)) x Delta. Developed in Oregon (1999).
Zone
• 4
Blooms
💮
• mid-late
Ripens
🌰
• mid-late ◦ ~1 to 1.5 weeks before Barcelona
Growth
• as large as Barcelona
Fruit
• 2.65g/nut, 50% kernel
• nut defects appear to be quite low
• nut defects appear to be quite low
Yield
• less productive than Barcelona
Afflictions
• At least somewhat resistant to eastern filbert blight. Somewhat resistant to bud mite.
Gamma
Released in Oregon (2002).
Afflictions
• Resistant to eastern filbert blight.
Jefferson
Zone
• 4 (5)
Blooms
💮
• late
Ripens
🌰
• late ◦ similar time as Barcelona
Growth
• 70% of the size of Barcelona
Yield
• moderate cumulative yield, higher yield efficiency than Barcelona
Afflictions
• At least somewhat resistant to bud mite.
Somewhat susceptible to eastern filbert blight.
Somewhat susceptible to eastern filbert blight.
Jefferson is being used to replace Barcelona as the main commercial producer due to its equivalent or slightly better nut quality, higher yield efficiency, and lower susceptibility to eastern filbert blight (EFB). While it performs quite well west of the Rockies, where more effective strains of EFB aren't present, it may not have enough resistance to thrive in the east.
Lewis
Developed in Oregon
Zone
• 4 (5)
Blooms
💮
• mid
Ripens
🌰
• mid-late ◦ ~0.5 to 1 weeks before Barcelona
Growth
• 75% of Barcelona
Fruit
• 2.8g/nut, 46-48% kernel
Yield
• high cumulative and efficiency yield
Afflictions
• Resistant to bud mite.
Susceptible to eastern filbert blight.
Susceptible to eastern filbert blight.
Mcdonald
Tonda Pacifica (Tonda Gentile delle Langhe x OSU 23.024 (Barcelona x Extra Ghiaghli)) x Santiam. Developed in Oregon (1998).
Zone
• 4
Blooms
💮
• mid
Ripens
🌰
• mid ◦ ~2 weeks before Barcelona
Growth
• 75-85% of Barcelona
Fruit
• 2.5g/nut, 51.5% kernel, low number of defects
Yield
• Moderate cumulative yield, moderate-high efficiency yield
Afflictions
• At least somewhat resistant to eastern filbert blight. Somewhat resistant to bud mite.
Sacajawea
Released in Oregon (2006).
Zone
• 4 (5)
Blooms
💮
• mid
Ripens
🌰
• mid (mid-late) ◦ ~1 to 2 weeks before Barcelona
Growth
• 85% of Barcelona
Fruit
• 2.8g/nut, 48-50% kernel
Yield
• high cumulative and efficiency yield
Afflictions
• Resistant to bud mite.
Susceptible to eastern filbert blight.
Susceptible to eastern filbert blight.
Theta
Released in Oregon (2009).
Zone
• 4 (5)
Blooms
💮
• late
Ripens
🌰
• late ◦ ~0 to 1 week after Barcelona
Growth
• similar to Barcelona
Fruit
• 2.3g/nut, 50% kernel
Yield
• low cumulative and efficiency yield
Afflictions
• Somewhat resistant to eastern filbert blight and bud mite.
Tonda Di Giffoni
Popular in Italy, probably originated there.
Zone
• 4 (5)
Blooms
💮
• mid
Ripens
🌰
• late ◦ same time as Barcelona
Growth
• 55% of Barcelona
Fruit
• 2.7 to 3.2g/nut, 45-50% kernel
• slightly more nut defects than some of the newer varieties
• slightly more nut defects than some of the newer varieties
Yield
• moderate cumulative yield, high efficiency yield
Afflictions
• Resistant to bud mite.
Susceptible to eastern filbert blight.
Susceptible to eastern filbert blight.
Tonda Pacifica
Tonda Gentile delle Langhe x OSU 23.024 (Barcelona x Extra Ghiaghli). Developed in Oregon (1982).
Zone
• 4 (5)
Blooms
💮
• mid season or earlier
Ripens
🌰
• mid-late ◦ ~1 to 1.5 weeks before Barcelona
Growth
• smaller than Barcelona
Fruit
• 2.24g/nut, 47% kernel
• fewer defects than Barcelona
• fewer defects than Barcelona
Yield
• moderate cumulative yield, high efficiency yield
Afflictions
• May have some resistance bud mite.
Highly susceptible to eastern filbert blight.
Highly susceptible to eastern filbert blight.
Wepster
Tonda Pacifica x OSU 440.005. Developed in Oregon (1998).
Zone
• 4
Blooms
💮
• mid
Ripens
🌰
• mid-late ◦ ~1 to 1.5 weeks before Barcelona
Growth
• 80-110% of Barcelona
Fruit
• 2.39g/nut, 43.9% kernel
Yield
• high cumulative and efficiency yield
Afflictions
• At least somewhat resistant to eastern filbert blight.
Somewhat susceptible to bud mite?
Somewhat susceptible to bud mite?
Yamhill
Zone
• 4 (5)
Blooms
💮
• mid
Ripens
🌰
• mid (mid-late) ◦ ~1 to 2 weeks before Barcelona
Growth
• 60-70% of Barcelona
Fruit
• 2.3g/nut, 49% kernel
• may produce a fairly high number of defects
• may produce a fairly high number of defects
Yield
• high cumulative and efficiency yield
Afflictions
• Somewhat resistant to eastern filbert blight.
Somewhat susceptible to bud mite.
Somewhat susceptible to bud mite.
York
OSU 479.027 x OSU 504.065. Developed in Oregon (1998).
Zone
• 4
Blooms
💮
• mid ◦ ~2 weeks after Barcelona
Ripens
🌰
• mid-late ◦ ~0.5 to 1.5 weeks before Barcelona
Growth
• 75% of Barcelona
Fruit
• 2.73 to 2.85g/nut, 46% kernel
Yield
• moderate cumulative and efficiency yield
Afflictions
• At least somewhat resistant to eastern filbert blight. May have some resistance to bud mite.
American Hazelnut: Corylus americana
Skinner
Originated in Manitoba, Canada.
Zone
• 3a
Blooms
💮
• very late?
Ripens
🌰
• early ◦ 70 to 90 days after pollination
Growth
• 4-6ft in height
Fruit
• slightly larger than the average american hazelnut
Afflictions
• Somewhat resistant to eastern filbert blight.
Skinner produces few runners.
Winkler
Originated in Iowa, introduced in 1918.
Zone
• 3
Blooms
💮
• very late?
Growth
• 6ft in height
Fruit
• slightly larger than the average american hazelnut
Afflictions
• Resistant to eastern filbert blight.
Hazelnut: hybrid
Badgersett Seedlings
C. americana, C. cornuta, and C. avellana parentage
Zone
• 4 (3)
Afflictions
• Most seedlings appear to be at least somewhat resistant to eastern filbert blight.
Badgersett Farm sells seedlings from multi-generation, improved hybrid selections.
Precocious
C. avellana x C. americana
Zone
• 4a (3)
Blooms
💮
• late
Afflictions
• At least somewhat resistant to eastern filbert blight.
'Precocious' appears to generally refer to a strain of seedlings rather than a variety.