bag fulla hazelnuts

I had no intention of picking hazelnuts (Corylus avellana) this morning as I did not remember that there were any along the route to the site where I picked the black currants, but lo and behold, there were a few growing there.

Hazelnuts are one of the blessings of living in this part of Oregon. Aside from walnuts, they are the most successful nut tree you can hope to grow here (although lately I've been seeing a resurgence of interest in growing chestnuts and chinkapins nuts). Typically, you see hazelnuts, (tons of them!) growing on farms down by Salem and around the Willamette Valley, but there's nothing to stop you from growing them in other places. They are an attractive small deciduous tree, (most are the size of large shrubs) and often can be found growing together in small thickets. When they aren't full of nuts, they can be identified by their ovate leaves, which remind me a bit of Witch Hazel (Hamamelis) (which also produces edible seeds). Like many other well-adapted plants, they do well in the poor, dry soils that make up many parts of this state, can take full sun or part shade, do well in places that can't be irrigated (dry sites), can be used as a barrier plant, and can be used as landscaping features in naturalistic areas like trails and parks.

I began to notice that it was that time of year again. The blue jays were absolutely mobbing the hazelnut trees out by Powell Butte, so I decided if I was going to pick some I better get about it. If the jays don't get them first, the squirrels surely will later.

Like most nuts, when still on the tree, they look absolutely nothing like those nuts they're hustling in the store. On the tree, they're usually hiding under the leaves, near the ends of branches, covered by a rather distinctive looking husk, that only become noticeable towards the end of summer when they begin falling out of the tree onto the ground. Be cautious when picking them, the outer husk and leaves have little irritating hairs (especially the husk). You can usually pry them off the branches bare-handed but I do not recommend removing them from their husks without gloves...I've learned this the hard way.

A tree has grow for a good bit before it will start producing any quantity of nuts, but if you find one or two good-sized mature trees (10 ft and over), you can usually easily find enough nuts to gather for the winter, while respectfully leaving some for the wildlife to enjoy as well.