Thoughts on why my hazelnuts dont produce

[ruskbucks]

After logging 7 years ago the hazelnut in my woods exploded. They are everywhere but I have only seen nuts on one tree ever and this was before the logging. Any thoughts why there are no nuts?. I have to think they must of regenerated from the roots like aspen or alder and not any nuts. I bought two from a nursery about 4 years ago and planted them at home and they produced nuts this summer.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

I have seen American hazelnuts that have been bushogged for two years come back in thicker than before. They should be producing by 7 years for sure, though. Are you finding catkins on them in the fall and winter? They might need longer than 7 years but that is a little surprising.

Also, are you sure that they are all hazelnuts? Arrowwood viburnum can sometimes resemble hazelnuts, especially if you are just going by the growth habit.

 

[Native Hunter]

My guess is that it's a combination of them being too thick and limited sunlight. Unless you clear cut, the amount of sunlight out in the woods is likely less than you think. It's enough to get them to grow but not enough for them to produce well. And, you said they exploded, which makes me think they are very thick. This limits water and nutrients to each individual bush. However, that's just a guess. You might try thinning them out in the areas with the most sunlight, such as the south edge of the woods. Good luck.

 

[ruskbucks]

I have seen American hazelnuts that have been bushogged for two years come back in thicker than before. They should be producing by 7 years for sure, though. Are you finding catkins on them in the fall and winter? They might need longer than 7 years but that is a little surprising.

Also, are you sure that they are all hazelnuts? Arrowwood viburnum can sometimes resemble hazelnuts, especially if you are just going by the growth habit.

I don't remember any catkins but I didn't really look for them. I did notice buds all over them. I asked my forester what they were, cause I have one stand that needs to have shooting lanes every year cause they are 3 -4ft tall he said they were hazelnuts. I was in shock that's what they were because there was so many.

 

[ruskbucks]

My guess is that it's a combination of them being too thick and limited sunlight. Unless you clear cut, the amount of sunlight out in the woods is likely less than you think. It's enough to get them to grow but not enough for them to produce well. And, you said they exploded, which makes me think they are very thick. This limits water and nutrients to each individual bush. However, that's just a guess. You might try thinning them out in the areas with the most sunlight, such as the south edge of the woods. Good luck.

That could be it. One spot is along the logging road that was clearcut but now the aspen and maple are 20ft plus tall. The other spots are on a select cut area they are growing heavy in the understory. Maybe they don't get sunlight like you said. Some of them are 6ft tall but most of them seem to be stuck at about 4feet and don't seem to be growing much. Do you know if they spread by root suckers?

 

[TreeDaddy]

I have seen American hazelnuts that have been bushogged for two years come back in thicker than before. They should be producing by 7 years for sure, though. Are you finding catkins on them in the fall and winter? They might need longer than 7 years but that is a little surprising.

Also, are you sure that they are all hazelnuts? Arrowwood viburnum can sometimes resemble hazelnuts, especially if you are just going by the growth habit.

At what age do they produce?

bill

 

[rocksnstumps]

That could be it. One spot is along the logging road that was clearcut but now the aspen and maple are 20ft plus tall. The other spots are on a select cut area they are growing heavy in the understory. Maybe they don't get sunlight like you said. Some of them are 6ft tall but most of them seem to be stuck at about 4feet and don't seem to be growing much. Do you know if they spread by root suckers?

4 ft tall after 7 yrs does sound like they are being stunted some and probably not enough sun to produce much. And that much time after logging the canopy above has had plenty of time to thicken up resulting in more shade. To answer your other question yes hazelnuts do spread by rhizomes.

I had some logging done and planted lots of shrubs and crabapples in the new "open" areas. They grew well for a couple yrs, stopped doing much and mostly croaked by year 5. The canopy above just got too thick again except for bigger areas like 1/4 acre in size or field edges. Those interior spots in the woods don't support sun loving growth for very long.

 

[Native Hunter]

That could be it. One spot is along the logging road that was clearcut but now the aspen and maple are 20ft plus tall. The other spots are on a select cut area they are growing heavy in the understory. Maybe they don't get sunlight like you said. Some of them are 6ft tall but most of them seem to be stuck at about 4feet and don't seem to be growing much. Do you know if they spread by root suckers?

The definitely spread by roots. In fact, when you find an isolated patch of them, they will most likely all be coming off of the same root system. They can do well in partial shade, but there comes a point where too much shade will hurt the nut production. From what you said, I believe my initial thoughts are probably right. I'm thinking a lack of sunlight and too much competition.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

At what age do they produce?

bill

I have grown commercial cultivars of hazelnuts from seed the last two years. I have had a few of these plants produce the male catkins within the first year, with the plants being about 3 feet or so tall. I think the lack of female buds limited the nuts from forming. Transplanting the seedlings to the field may have reduced the number of buds in their second year. I am not sure how this would relate to bare root American hazelnut seedlings, but I would suspect they need about the same amount of growth before producing a viable nut. Most of the bare root seedlings I have seen are only about 10-15". Once the stems get a little thicker than your pinky I think you can start finding buds and eventually hazelnuts.

Most commercial growers start getting nuts around the 4th or 5th year. I would imagine American hazelnut seedlings grown for wildlife might need a year or two more than that. In @ruskbucks's case, I would imagine it wouldn't take that long if they are coming up from stump sprouts.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Here are some hazelnuts I found in our home farm in Northern MO. This was taken on September 6th and it looked like the nuts needed at least a week or two more. I could only find a few hazelnuts on each bush inside the woods.

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Here is a clump of some hazelnuts on the same farm, but on a ridgetop and in open sun. A lot higher stem count and absolutely loaded with hazelnuts.

 

[g squared 23]

My hazelnuts make nuts on the sun shaded sides, normally lift up an external leaf and there you find a cluster. Don’t find them on the back shady side and don’t find them on the bushes in the timber which struggle to do much of anything.

All the ones I’ve planted have catkins year 2 and at least a nut or two by year 3 , but they’re all getting at least half sun.

Can’t remember if this cluster is 3 or 4 years old, but you can see the lighter green colored nuts

 

[Bill Loser]

I planted hazelnut 6 years ago. Been caged their whole life, weed mats, mulched, the whole shmeer. I've yet to see a nut from 8 plants and the tallest is only about 4 feet tall.

 

[ruskbucks]

I have seen American hazelnuts that have been bushogged for two years come back in thicker than before. They should be producing by 7 years for sure, though. Are you finding catkins on them in the fall and winter? They might need longer than 7 years but that is a little surprising.

Also, are you sure that they are all hazelnuts? Arrowwood viburnum can sometimes resemble hazelnuts, especially if you are just going by the growth habit.

I was out doing some buckthorn removal and found a couple clumps of 6ft tall hazelnuts. I checked them and alot of the shorter 4ft ones and they did have catkins. Should they produce nuts if they have catkins? I have a forestry mower coming tomorrow I flagged off a few clumps to save. I'll be able to see if these will produce since they will soon be in the open.

 

[rocksnstumps]

Catkins are actually the male (pollen) producing part of the plant. Here is a blurb on hazelnuts. Think they flower in the early spring and that's what you have to hope does not get toasted by weather.

Catkins, the male flower of the hazelnut tree. It starts with catkins, a long droopy flower that first appear on hazelnuts in the spring. Catkins are the male parts of the tree that produce and release pollen. The pollen is spread by the wind to these tiny red flowers, the female parts of the hazelnut tree.

 

[Benja]

Similar to what ruskbucks said, I was out doing work on my little tree park and noticed these things hanging from many branches. I'd describe them them as old, hard catkins, but I would also like to know what they are actually called and what is their role? Mine are young hazelnut trees and this is the first time I've seen them. Multiple trees sport these growths.

 

[g squared 23]

If you shake the branch before leaf out, in March in my area, you’ll see a tuff of pollen express out from the catkins; watch the wind when you’re doing it or you’ll take some in the face. They pollinate the the little pink flowers.


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[Hoytvectrix]

These were taken in Northern MO on April 2nd of this year. You can see both the male and female flowers.

 

[Benja]

So the little brown 'worms' will expand into catkins next spring? They are the winter precursors to the spring male pollination parts?

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Yes. Technically they are already the catkins. Hazelnuts and a few other trees are unique in that they produce catkins in the fall and winter.