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Hazelnut or wild filbert – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.

Corylus avellana, Betulaceae, Common Hazel

About the Hazelnut or wild filbert tree (Corylus species)

Hazelnuts grow on bushes (called Hazels) 1.8 to 3.6 meters (6 to 12 feet) high with a crown spread of 10 to 15 feet. One species in Turkey and another in China are large trees.  They have simple, rounded leaves with double-serrated edges and soft hairs on both sides.  Flowers are produced in the early Spring and are pale yellow (male plant) or white catkins (female).

The nut itself grows in a very bristly husk that conspicuously contracts above the nut into a long neck. The fruit is typically produced in clusters of one to five together with each nut held in a short, leafy husk which encloses about three quarters of the nut (or fully closed in the wild filbert variety).  The nut is oval shaped, yellow-brown with a pale scar at the base. The different species vary in this respect in terms of size and shape, but the nuts of all hazels are edible.  In the United States, Hazelnut shrubs are planted to attract wildlife and game animals.

Where to find Hazelnuts

Hazelnuts are found over wide areas in the United States, especially the eastern half of the country and along the Pacific coast. These nuts are also found in Europe where they are known as filberts. The hazelnut is common in Asia, especially in eastern Asia from the Himalayas to China and Japan. The hazelnut usually grows in the dense thickets along stream banks and open places. They prefer well-drained loamy soil and full sun.

Edible parts of Hazelnut plants/trees

Hazelnuts ripen in the autumn, when you can crack them open and eat the kernel. The dried nut is extremely delicious. The nut’s high oil content makes it a good survival food. When they are unripe, you can crack them open and eat the fresh kernel.  Hazelnuts are rich in protein and unsaturated fat and contain significant amounts of thiamine and vitamin B6.  The nuts can also be ground into paste.  The seed has a thin, deep brown skin which has a bitter flavor and can be removed before eating or cooking.

Hazelnut picture gallery

Image Credits

In-Article Image Credits

Hazelnut Corylus avellana William Curtis illustration via Antonio Siber by William Curtis with usage type - Public Domain. 1800's
Hazelnuts Otto Wilhelm Thome illustration via Antonio Siber by Otto Wilhelm Thome with usage type - Public Domain. Flora von Deutschland 1885
The Hazel Nut Tree via Pinterest with usage type - Public Domain. 1776
Corylus avellana, Betulaceae, Common Hazel via Wikimedia Commons by H. Zell with usage type - GNU Free. July 22, 2009
Young male catkins of hazel (Corylus avellana) via Wikimedia Commons by Emmanuel Douzery with usage type - Creative Commons License. December 26, 2015
Female flower of Common Hazel - Corylus avellana in spring via Wikimedia Commons with usage type - Public Domain. February 20, 2005
Turkish Hazel leaves and nuts via Wikimedia Commons with usage type - GNU Free. September 26, 2004
Hazelnuts via Wikimedia Commons with usage type - GNU Free. November 14, 2004
Caterpillars eating hazelnut leaves via Wikimedia Commons with usage type - Creative Commons License. September 11, 2022
Hazelnut pod and leaf with serrated edge via Wikimedia Commons by Guilhem Vellut with usage type - Creative Commons License. July 18, 2021

Featured Image Credit

Corylus avellana, Betulaceae, Common Hazel via Wikimedia Commons by H. Zell with usage type - GNU Free. July 22, 2009

 

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