How Many Years Until a Hazelnut Tree Bears Fruit? Latest Answer Explained
The hazelnut tree is a shrub or small tree of the genus Corylus in the birch family (Betulaceae). It grows in mountain shady-slope thickets at altitudes of 200-1000 m, has strong cold resistance, and prefers a humid climate. In natural growth it forms a clump, with tree height reaching 7-8 m; cultivated tree height is 3-5 m. The flowering period is April-May, and the fruiting period is September-October. Now let's take a look at how many years it takes for a planted hazelnut tree to bear fruit!
How Many Years Until a Hazelnut Tree Bears Fruit
Hazelnut trees generally begin bearing fruit 3-4 years after planting when grown from sexually propagated seedlings, while asexually propagated hazelnut saplings begin bearing fruit in 2-3 years, enter full fruiting at 7 years and beyond, and the life of the clump can reach more than 50 years.
Growth Habits of the Hazelnut Tree
1. Temperature: Different species of hazelnut tree have different temperature requirements. The European hazel (Corylus avellana) prefers a warm, humid climate. Suitable areas have an average temperature of 13-15°C, an absolute minimum of -10°C, and an extreme high of 38°C. Ping'ou hybrids are more cold-resistant than the European hazel and are suitable for cultivation in areas with an average annual temperature of 7.5-13°C and a minimum temperature that can reach -30°C.
2. Light: The hazelnut tree is a light-loving plant and generally requires annual sunshine hours of more than 2100 hours; otherwise flower bud formation is reduced and yield is low.
3. Soil: Hazelnut trees prefer to grow on fertile, well-aerated sandy loam. Ping'ou hybrids in particular have high soil requirements; dry sandy soil, heavy clay soil, marshy land, saline land and low-lying land are all unsuitable for establishing a hazelnut orchard. Ping'ou hybrids require a soil pH of 6.5-7.5, while the European hazel requires 5.5-7.
4. Propagation: The branches of the hazelnut tree root easily, and adventitious buds readily sprout root suckers. Therefore, layering or grafting is usually used to propagate nursery stock. For early-spring layering, use vigorous one-year-old sprouting shoots; for June layering, use current-year tender shoots as material. For grafted seedlings, flat hazel (Corylus heterophylla) seedlings are mostly used as rootstock.
Cultivated Varieties of the Hazelnut Tree
1. Dawei: The Dawei tree is vigorous with a semi-spreading habit. The nut is oval, with an average single-nut weight of 2.6 g; the shell is brown with a thickness of 1.5 mm; the kernel is smooth, plump and good-flavored, with a kernel yield of 44%. It is high-yielding, with multiple nuts per cluster, averaging 2.0 nuts per cluster; a 5-year-old tree yields 1.5-2.0 kg. A 7-8-year-old tree averages more than 2.0 kg per tree; with 1110-1245 trees planted per hectare, the yield is 2.0-2.5 tonnes per hectare. The nuts mature in late August. It has strong winter hardiness and can withstand -35°C low temperatures during dormancy, and is suitable for cultivation in areas with an average annual temperature above 4°C.
2. Liaozhen No. 1: Liaozhen No. 1 is vigorous with a semi-spreading habit and few male inflorescences. The nut is oval, light yellow, with grooves. The single-nut weight is 2.6 g, the shell thickness is 1.1 mm, and the kernel is plump, smooth and good-flavored, with a kernel yield of 40%. It is high-yielding, with multiple nuts per cluster; a 7-8-year-old tree averages more than 2.0 kg per tree. The nuts mature in early September; winter hardiness is moderate, and it is suitable for cultivation in areas with an average annual temperature above 8°C.
3. Liaozhen No. 2: Liaozhen No. 2 has large, round, yellow-brown nuts, with an average single-nut weight of 2.5 g, a relatively thin shell of 1.2 mm, and a kernel yield of 46%; the kernel is smooth, plump and good-flavored. The tree is moderately vigorous with an upright habit and few male inflorescences. It is high-yielding and bears early: layered seedlings begin bearing fruit 2-3 years after planting, with early high yields; a 5-year-old tree yields 1 kg and an 8-year-old tree yields 2.0 kg. In Dalian it flowers in mid-March, and the nut maturity period is early September. This variety is not cold-resistant and often shows shoot dieback in Dalian and Shenyang, so it needs to be cultivated in areas with an average annual temperature above 8°C.
4. Liaozhen No. 3: Liaozhen No. 3 is vigorous with an upright habit. The nut is long oval and yellow-brown, with an average single-nut weight of 2.8 g, a kernel weight of 1.3 g, a shell thickness of 1.1 mm and a kernel yield as high as 48%; the kernel is smooth, plump and good-flavored. It is high-yielding, with a 7-8-year-old tree yielding more than 2.0 kg. It is cold-resistant and strongly winter-hardy, enduring -35°C low temperatures in winter, and can be cultivated in areas with an average annual temperature above 4°C.
5. Liaozhen No. 7: Liaozhen No. 7 is moderately vigorous with a spreading habit. The nut is conical and red-brown, and attractive. The average single-nut weight is 2.8 g, the shell thickness is medium, and the kernel yield reaches 40%; the kernel is plump and smooth, the kernel skin easily separates, and the flavor is good. Both early fruiting and high yield are strong: it begins bearing fruit 2-3 years after planting, a 5-6-year-old tree yields 1-1.5 kg, and a 7-8-year-old tree yields more than 2.8 kg; in Shenyang the fruit matures in mid-August. It is strongly cold-resistant and winter-hardy, enduring -35°C low temperatures in winter, and can be cultivated in areas with an average annual temperature above 4°C.
6. Liaozhen No. 8: Liaozhen No. 8 is a cold-resistant variety. The nut is round and red-brown with longitudinal stripes, and attractive. The nuts are large, with a single-nut weight of 2.7 g and a kernel yield of 41%; the kernel is plump and smooth, with a fragrant flavor and a slight sweetness. The crown is relatively small, forming a dwarf tree shape. It bears early and is high-yielding: it begins bearing fruit 2-3 years after planting, and a 6-year-old tree yields more than 1.8 kg. It has strong cold resistance, enduring -38°C low temperatures in winter, and can be cultivated in areas with an average annual temperature above 2°C.