Planting a Hazelnut Hedge: American Hazelnut for Food and Habitat
The short answer
A hazelnut hedge built from American hazelnut gives you a dense native screen, nuts for the kitchen and food and cover for wildlife. Plant shrubs in full sun to light shade in well drained soil, about three to five feet apart for a hedge. Plant at least two plants for cross pollination and expect nuts in a few years.
American hazelnut is a tough, adaptable shrub that deserves more space in home gardens.
What is American hazelnut?
American hazelnut, Corylus americana, is a native shrub found across much of the eastern and central United States. The UF IFAS Extension fact sheet on Corylus americana describes it as a multistemmed shrub that grows about 8 to 15 feet tall and spreads by suckers into a thicket.
It flowers in late winter or early spring. Male flowers hang as long catkins. Female flowers are tiny red tufts at the tips of buds. By late summer, small nuts form inside leafy husks.
Leaves turn orange, red or yellow in fall, so the hedge adds color.
| Topic | Detail | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Size | About 8 to 15 feet tall | Prune to hold a hedge shape |
| Sun | Full sun to light shade | More sun means more nuts |
| Soil | Well drained, adaptable | Avoid standing water |
| Hedge spacing | About 3 to 5 feet apart | Closer for a quicker screen |
| Pollination | Wind, needs a second plant | Plant at least two seedlings |
| First nuts | Several years after planting | Seedlings vary in yield |
Sources: UF IFAS Extension, Ask Extension, University of Wisconsin Extension.
Where should you plant a hazelnut hedge?
Pick a spot with full sun to partial shade. Hazelnut takes many soils but sulks in soggy ground. Along a property edge, fence line or the border of a wooded area are natural fits.
A hedge can also shelter a garden from wind. Our post on windbreaks for outdoor cannabis explains how a row of shrubs slows wind across a garden.
Think about sun and moisture across your yard before you choose a line. Our post on garden microclimates for cannabis covers how those conditions shift.
How far apart should you plant?
An Ask Extension answer on American hazelnut hedge spacing suggests spacing plants a few feet apart in a row for a hedge. Closer spacing fills in faster. Wider spacing gives each shrub more room and can mean more nuts per plant.
For a double row, stagger the plants so the hedge fills gaps quickly.
How do you plant hazelnut?
The University of Wisconsin Extension Hazelnuts 101 establishment fact sheet covers getting young plants started. Clear weeds and grass from the planting row first, since young hazelnuts compete poorly with sod.
Plant in early spring while plants are dormant. Set each plant at the same depth it grew in the nursery. Water well and mulch the row to hold moisture and suppress weeds.
Water through the first season during dry spells. Control weeds for the first two to three years while roots spread.
How does pollination work?
Hazelnuts are wind pollinated. Planting at least two genetically different plants is a common way to help nut set. Seedlings are all different, so a row of seedling plants often takes care of it.
Bees visit the catkins early in the year, since they’re one of the first pollen sources.
When do you harvest nuts?
Nuts ripen in late summer to early fall. Husks start to brown at the edges. Pick a little early, since squirrels and jays often get there first. Dry the clusters in a warm, airy spot until the husks pull off easily, then store the nuts in the shell.
Hazelnut also pairs well with other plants. Our post on companion plants when growing marijuana covers mixing plants for a fuller garden.
How to: step by step
- Pick a sunny spot with well drained soil.
- Clear weeds and grass along the row.
- Set dormant shrubs three to five feet apart in early spring.
- Water well and mulch the row.
- Plant at least two different plants for pollination.
- Suppress weeds for the first few years.
Troubleshooting
Few nuts. Too much shade or one plant only. Add sun or a second plant.
Squirrels take the crop. Pick husks as edges turn brown.
Slow growth. Weeds compete. Mulch and weed the row.
Gaps in the hedge. Plant extras or let suckers fill in.
Shrubs spread too far. Mow or cut suckers outside the row.
A hazelnut hedge gives food, color and cover in one planting. Kind Seed Co shares more garden ideas in outdoor growing.
Sources
- American hazelnut hedge spacing, Ask Extension, American hazelnut hedge spacing
- Corylus americana, American filbert (FPS146), UF IFAS Extension, Corylus americana
- Hazelnuts 101: establishment, University of Wisconsin Extension Crops and Soils, Hazelnuts 101
FAQ
How tall does American hazelnut grow?
About 8 to 15 feet.
Do you need two plants?
Yes. At least two different plants help pollination.
When will a hedge produce nuts?
Usually a few years after planting.
Does hazelnut grow in shade?
It grows in light shade but fruits more in sun.
Does it spread?
Yes. Suckers form a thicket over time.
