In the Caucasus and Crimea, large hazel, or Lombard nut, is cultivated, which, like common hazel, is sometimes called hazelnut.
At least a dozen trees have grown on our self-seeding plot, because... nearby there is a huge hazel tree covering several hectares.
Did you know that earrings are male flowers hazel And I showed the women’s ones to David on Friday, and took a picture at the same time. They are small - a few millimeters. There are no bees yet, or other insects, so they are not trying to attract them. Calculate only on the wind.
Hazelnut is a monoecious plant with dioecious, wind-pollinated flowers.
Male flowers (with 4 stamens) in catkins, bloom 2 - 5 from one bud, drooping, consisting of numerous flowers, overwinter in open buds - catkins. Female flowers are borne at the tops of the current year's shoots in the axils of the bud scales. The female inflorescence is similar in appearance to a bud. The flower consists of a pistil fused with a reduced perianth.
The female flowers are small, consisting of bright red tufts of stigmas, barely visible from the top of the flower bud. The more shaggy the stigma bundles are, the more female flowers are contained in the bud and, therefore, the more nuts will be formed in the infructescence. Stigmas are designed to catch pollen and appear slightly earlier than they begin to “dust” male flowers, but in some varieties it’s the other way around.
Indicator successful development hazelnut is flowering. The flowering phase begins in April before the leaves bloom. When the air temperature reaches +12* C during the day, male catkins begin to grow up to 3 cm per day. The drier the air, the faster the catkin's stem lengthens. If the weather is rainy and the air is saturated with moisture, then the catkins, despite the warmth, grow slowly - they seem to wait out bad weather (dampness) and postpone flowering until a more favorable time. (Anemophilous pollen is released from the anthers, which crack under the influence of dry air). The length of the earrings reaches 10 cm, they loosen and begin to gather dust, producing about 4 million grains of pollen (and this is only one earring - 4,000,000!). Clouds of pollen are easily carried by the wind from one bush to another. “Pollination” lasts 4-12 days, but nothing: female flowers - bunches of red stigmas - are open for more than 2 weeks and they “catch” a yellow cloud of pollen either from their own or from another plant.
Biological features of hazel (hazelnut)
The cultivation of hazel and hazelnuts is completely the same
Hazelnut is a promising nut crop and is a large shrub. It is found in natural biocenoses of broad-leaved and coniferous-deciduous forests; it develops well under the canopy of trees in the forest, but does not bear fruit in the shade. It grows slowly at first, then faster. The growth rate increases as the root system develops. At 4-5 years of life, the growth of the main axis of the plant weakens. It becomes slanted and gradually dies. By the age of 9-19 years, the upper lateral branches overtake the main axis and a palmate, fan-shaped crown with horizontal branches is formed. The density of the crown is enhanced by the two-row arrangement of leaves and buds. When there is a lack of light, the leaves take a horizontal position and are located on the branch so that they do not obscure each other. In between large leaves Small leaves are placed, forming a so-called leaf mosaic. Horizontal position leaf blades and sheet mosaic - devices for better capture of light.
Branching is also characteristic of the underground part of the plant. The root system is powerful, quickly growing, and protects the soil well from runoff and erosion. Because the root system is superficial, plants are sensitive to compaction of the top layer(It is not recommended to dance in a circle under a tree unless necessary).
The plants prefer fertile soils, are light-loving (red-leaved forms of hazel become less bright in the shade), and are relatively cold-resistant - able to tolerate frosts of 25-30 ° C and below. They bloom in early April, which is why they periodically suffer from frosts. Blooming vegetative buds occurs 3-4 weeks after the start of flowering. The strongest growth of shoots is observed in early spring- when there are reserves of moisture, but they do not like both excess and lack of water.
Seeds germinate in the soil (within 1-2 years), while the cotyledons remain in the forest floor until autumn. During the first summer, a shoot 20 cm high is formed in the underground part. Above the cotyledons, several, first scale-like, and then green (red) leaves are formed. The development of the shoot ends with the formation of apical and underground buds.
Hazel trees begin to bear fruit depending on the method of propagation. At vegetative way They give the first harvest in 3-4 years, with seeds in 6-8 years. Abundant and annual fruiting is observed from 8-10 years. During this period, there is intensive growth of shoots. (Coppling propagation is of great biological importance for the regeneration of hazel in nature, and is also successfully used for propagation in horticulture). The lower part of the bush retains the ability for vegetative renewal for a long time (tillering process) - skeletal branches develop from the tissues of dormant buds. Annual growth varies and depends on the location of the shoot on the plant (up to 150 cm). The longevity of individual branches is 20-25 years. The reproductive age of the bush is 80-90 years (or 150-180 years according to other sources).
Hazelnut is a monoecious plant with dioecious, wind-pollinated flowers. Male flowers (with 4 stamens) in catkins, bloom 2 - 5 from one bud, drooping, consisting of numerous flowers, overwinter in open buds - catkins. Female flowers are borne at the tops of the current year's shoots in the axils of the bud scales. The female inflorescence is similar in appearance to a bud. The flower consists of a pistil fused with a reduced perianth.
The female flowers are small, consisting of bright red tufts of stigmas, barely visible from the top of the flower bud. The more shaggy the stigma bundles are, the more female flowers are contained in the bud and, therefore, the more nuts will be formed in the infructescence. Stigmas are designed to catch pollen and appear somewhat earlier than the male flowers begin to “collect dust,” but in some varieties it’s the other way around.
An indicator of the successful development of hazelnuts is flowering. The flowering phase begins in April before the leaves bloom. When the air temperature reaches +12* C during the day, male catkins begin to grow up to 3 cm per day. The drier the air, the faster the catkin's stem lengthens. If the weather is rainy and the air is saturated with moisture, then the catkins, despite the warmth, grow slowly - they seem to wait out bad weather (dampness) and postpone flowering until a more favorable time. (Anemophilous pollen is released from the anthers, which crack under the influence of dry air). The length of the earrings reaches 10 cm, they loosen and begin to gather dust, giving about 4 million
pollen grains (and this is just one earring - 4,000,000!). Clouds of pollen are easily carried by the wind from one bush to another. “Pollination” lasts 4-12 days, but nothing: female flowers - bunches of red stigmas - are open for more than 2 weeks and they “catch” a yellow cloud of pollen either from their own or from another plant.
So, we came to the need to highlight some biological features, as well as features of agricultural technology.
Growing hazelnuts is simple, but you need to know some important points, without which it is impossible to get a harvest. Hazelnut is a monoecious, dioecious, wind-pollinated (cross-pollinated) plant, and the yield of cross-pollinated plants largely depends on climatic conditions during the flowering period and pollination activities, as well as measures to preserve flowers from damage by spring frosts, therefore, for better memorization and We will try to consider each feature in detail.
A-A. For all types of hazelnuts characterized by non-simultaneous maturation of stamens and pistils, i.e. The flowering periods of female and male flowers do not coincide in most hybrids of red-leaved hazelnut varieties. Non-simultaneous maturation of male and female genital organs is very common. This is the most widespread adaptation in the plant kingdom that ensures cross-pollination. It is called dichogamy - (in some cases, the stamens develop first, and the anthers open at a time when the pistil is still underdeveloped and its stigma is unable to accept fertilizing pollen grains and vice versa).
Like animals, plants avoid combining closely related sexual elements and therefore more often resort to cross-pollination, which results in cross-fertilization (allogamy). In this case, the stigma is pollinated by the fertile pollen of another plant of the same species, and its own pollen is used in exchange for pollinating the stigmas of other flowers. If pollen from another species of the same genus falls on the stigma during cross-pollination, fertilization nevertheless often occurs and crosses or hybrids are obtained. The benefits of cross-pollination are so great that plants have developed many different adaptations that facilitate such pollination, and in some cases even make it the only possible one. Most, however, forms with cross-pollination also retain the ability to self-pollinate (resorting to it in rare cases).
Conclusion: Self-fertility in hazelnut hybrids is low, i.e. It is pollinated poorly (rarely) by the pollen of its variety. Therefore for successful cultivation It is necessary to have plants of different varieties and plants of seed origin nearby, which will pollinate each other. Especially varieties with a long (extended) period of flowering (dusting) of male catkins. The more plants of the same species growing nearby, the higher the likelihood of cross-pollination. This means that on one bush the pistils are ripening, and on the other at the same time the anthers on the stamens are ripening. It is better if these plants are taken from different places or different varieties. This means, to get a good harvest, you should plant at least2-3 xvarieties. This required condition for a given culture.
B-B. Many hazelnut hybrids have semi- or completely sterile pollen, and some have predominantly female flowers. Most varieties are self-sterile.
Conclusion: For points A-A and B-B necessity cross-pollination is 100% obvious. To obtain a sustainable harvest, additional pollination is required. For this purpose, varieties are selected - pollinators that produce a large number of pollen (for every 10 bushes 1-2 pollinating bushes). Having pollinating varieties on your site, you will always be with good harvest. If the variety is self-fertile or partially self-fertile, then be sure to select suitable variety- pollinator or plant of seed origin. The main thing is that it must coincide with your variety in terms of flowering time and be located at a distance of no further than 10-15 m from the pollinated variety and always on the leeward side. However, even if the variety is self-fertile, for better fruiting it is also a good idea to choose another pollinator variety: the yield will be higher, so it is advisable to plant several different varieties on the site. It is recommended to place green-leaved ones next to red-leaved forms. For normal fruiting, you need to plant several plants that do not belong to the same clone. Good pollinators are Tambov early, Tambov late, Pervenets, Moscow ruby, Ivanteevsky red, 4219.
Charles Darwin experimentally showed that “cross-pollination,” when pollen is taken from another plant of the same species, produces more numerous, stronger and, in turn, more fertile offspring.
V-V. To find out following features It is necessary to remember 2 important concepts relating to all fruit plants without exception. The majority of gardeners often confuse the concepts of winter hardiness and frost resistance. But these are completely different things. Frost resistance is the ability of a variety to withstand certain subzero temperatures. Winter hardiness is a complex concept. It includes frost resistance, regenerative ability, or, more simply put, the survivability of the variety and the ability to withstand temperature changes.
Hazelnuts, thanks to breeders, tolerate t = −25-30*C without additional shelter. Male inflorescences - catkins - are less winter-hardy than female fruit buds. Often, catkins freeze slightly before flowering. Male inflorescences are laid and formed in the summer and autumn of the previous year and overwinter fully formed, ready for flowering. Branches brought into the room in winter begin to gather dust, and therefore short periods of warming in winter cause vigorous activity in the catkins. Frosts that follow warm days destroy them. That is, the winter hardiness of male inflorescences of many varieties is insufficient.
Female inflorescences are formed much later; by winter, female flowers are very poorly developed, most often they overwinter in the stage of proliferation of tubercles. They are surrounded by thick scales and leaf buds, so they are less exposed to temperature fluctuations and do not grow during warming periods, and therefore freeze out less often.
Knowing all this, you can help the plant produce annual nut harvests. To guarantee a safe overwintering of plants, it is recommended in the fall to bend the lower branches with catkins to the ground, secure them and cover them with snow. All winter they will be under the snow, like under a fur coat. Sharp fluctuations in air temperature will not affect them. In the spring, don’t forget to free the branches from the snow captivity, and then the men’s earrings will fulfill their purpose. For better pollination, it is necessary to bend the branches precisely from the direction of the prevailing winds, and the wind itself will do the rest.
Conclusion: We plant varieties in the neighborhood that are characterized by high frost resistance and winter hardiness of male inflorescences. The varieties Tambovsky early, Tambovsky late and Pervenets are classified as pollinating varieties of red-leaved forms (they form many more winter-hardy male inflorescences). Green-leaved hazelnuts are considered more winter-hardy; Among the red-leaved ones, Pushkinsky red, Miracle of Vsesvyatsky, Maria Makarevich are more resistant to frost. For example, the varieties Tambovsky early, Tambovsky late, Isaevsky, during an extremely unfavorable wintering in 1978/1979 in the Moscow region, withstood the test of frost t = −42°C and at the same time bore fruit, while the wild forest hazel mostly frozen in the forest. It is a fact. This is evidenced by Kudasheva R.F. and Moiseev A.E., a full member of the Moscow Society of Natural Scientists in the magazines “Homestead Farming” and “Science and Life” No. 4 for 1990.
G-G. Hazelnut is a wind-pollinated plant, so it is necessary to take into account the prevailing wind direction at the time of flowering of the plant. See the section “Pollination” for more details.
Conclusion: 1) taking into account the above, we plant the pollinator on the leeward side. 2) additional pollination of hazelnuts is facilitated by pruning during the flowering period of the plant: spontaneous shaking at the moment of cutting branches contributes to the active dispersal of pollen.
D-D. A characteristic feature of hazel trees is that their ovaries after flowering begin to develop only after 1.5 - 2 months, i.e. the fruits begin to form not in April, but in June - as a result, 4.5 - 5 months pass from the moment of pollination to the ripening of the kernel. And when the buds had already blossomed and the growth of shoots with pollinated plants began female flowers the crop can be destroyed by late return frosts down to - 3 * C. (Although the pollen tubes quickly reach the base of the style, fertilization itself occurs only 2-3 weeks after pollination).
Conclusion: Hazelnuts bear fruit annually. However, weather favorable for abundant fruiting in the central zone occurs once every 2 - 4 years, and frosts during flowering are no exception. After all The main danger for hazelnuts is not winter frosts, but spring frosts. At rest, plants can withstand low temperatures, but sudden spring frosts can kill buds, flowers and young shoots. Plant sensitivity to low temperatures depends on the degree of bud opening - the further the bud development has progressed, the greater the danger. In winter, pollen in male earring inflorescences is not damaged even at t = –30°C, but during spring flowering it can only withstand t = −3 −5°C. Female hazelnut inflorescences can withstand frosts t ≥ –30°C in winter, during flowering they can withstand temperatures t = –8 –9°C, and the fertilized ovary can only withstand t = –3°C. Although others fruit crops the permissible threshold of critical temperatures is even lower, however, emergency measures to protect the future harvest cannot be avoided. (Let’s take an apple tree as an example: a blooming flower bud dies at –3.5°C, –3°C is destructive for buds, –2°C cannot withstand the blooming buds, –1.5°C is fatal at the stage of petal fall, and –1°C kills the ovaries °C.)
This is one of big problems gardeners and therefore let’s take a closer look at it. With the arrival of warmer weather, the time for flowering begins - a crucial period for fruit crops. Late spring frosts are possible at this time. Observations show that hazelnuts are most harmed by frost at the time of ovary formation. A drop in temperature below −3°C causes the death of the crop. The likelihood of frost occurring can be determined by the following signs. A sharp drop in temperature in the afternoon, a quiet windless and cloudless clear night, the absence of evening dew, dry air, as well as the upcoming weather can be judged by the behavior of the hazelnut itself. If the stigmas are hidden in the bud, and the earrings have shrunk, decreasing by 1/2, then expect frost; if they show themselves in all their glory, it will be warm.
Protecting everyone fruit plants without exception, late spring frosts are a pressing problem for gardens not only in the Middle Zone. So this problem is not only ours and not only with hazelnuts. Therefore, we stock up on knowledge, patience and move forward - light fires and more.
Options for protection against spring frosts
1. The most effective method of protection is fine-drip sprinkling. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that light, intense rain covers the entire surface of flowering plants throughout the entire freezing period. Sprinkling allows you to protect flowers and ovaries from frost damage even at temperatures of −4–5°C. The use of sprinkling is based on the fact that when water freezes, it releases heat and thereby protects the flowers. Spraying must be completed 1-2 hours before sunrise, otherwise the plants will thaw under the influence of sun rays, turn black and die.
If the frost has done its job, then before sunrise, until the green parts of the plant have thawed, you need to sprinkle them generously with water. Under the influence cold water the plants move away gradually, and frost will not cause them any harm. If sprayed for a long time, the branches may become covered with ice, and therefore supports should be placed in advance under weak branches. In this case, do not forget about effective soil drainage, otherwise it may become waterlogged, which will lead to serious damage to the roots.
2. Smoking is the most common way to protect fruit plants from frost. The use of smoke is based on the fact that when the material burns, a curtain of smoke and particles of water vapor is formed. Smoke, being a poor conductor of heat, prevents the cooling of the surface layers of the soil and retains heat in it. The use of smoke increases the air temperature by 2-3°C or more.
However, this method gives a positive result only in clear, windless weather and with prolonged use. It is important to first determine the direction of the smoke. Then arrange heaps for smoking. They are laid, starting with the installation of a stake and lining it with straw, wood chips, and brushwood (highly flammable material). After this, the pile is covered with manure, leaves and earth on top and set on fire. The pile should burn slowly for 5-6 hours. They make 1-2 per hundred square meters, placing them no closer than 1.5-2 m from the tree. It is important to correctly determine the onset of smoking. It starts when the air temperature drops to +1°C and continues to fall. If half an hour after sunset the temperature has not dropped below +1.5°C, the smoking of the fires is postponed until the next time.
3. Foliar feeding of flowering plants with minerals. It improves their nutrition and increases the concentration of cell sap, which increases the resistance of fruit plants to freezing. Foliar feeding is carried out by spraying in the evening or 2-3 hours before the onset of frost. The solution is prepared from potassium and phosphorus mineral fertilizers(3-4% potassium sulfate and 4-5% superphosphate).
4. Non-woven covering material also helps preserve the crop during spring bad weather.
5. It is necessary to try to choose varieties with increased winter hardiness fruit buds, as well as varieties with more late flowering plants or long-flowering varieties.
HER. Successful pollination depends largely on weather conditions, For example, long rains during flowering interfere with the spread of pollen in wind-pollinated plants. This leads to massive death of pollen and in such years the harvest decreases sharply. As E. B. Kvach from Belarus writes: “Over many years I have become convinced that rainy weather during flowering causes much more harm than frost, since pollen is washed off from flowers. Productivity in such years is low. Although the nuts are developing externally, many are empty and have blackened flesh inside.”
Conclusion: A.E. Moiseev from the Moscow region successfully used artificial pollination about 20 years ago. In this case, it is necessary to collect the male earrings with twigs in advance before they become dusty, put them in a clean paper bag and in the refrigerator, where the pollen retains the ability to germinate for 2-3 weeks. You can’t keep pollen in the sun even for a few minutes, it dies. The package is stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of about 0 degrees. When good weather arrives, you need to place the branches with catkins in a bottle of water on parchment paper overnight. Pollen will fall there, collect it in a bag and carefully apply it to the stigmas of the pistils with a soft watercolor brush. Hand pollination should be carried out in the morning before the sun appears or in cloudy weather. For small hazelnut bushes, this method is convenient and reliable. Time for pollination flowering bush It takes quite a bit - 15-20 minutes. Or the second option for mature trees: prepare pollen (as with hand pollination), collect it, mix it with water, fill the spray bottle and early in the morning, or in cloudy (dry) weather, carry out pollination - spraying.
J-J. Hazelnuts have a powerful root system. As with many cultures Nuts are characterized by the presence of mycorrhiza. A cover of fungal hyphae is formed around the small roots, that is, special soil fungi that can replace the suction hairs of the root and additionally take on other protective functions. In the rhizosphere (around active roots) a specific microflora develops, consisting of hyphae of soil fungi living on the surface of the root. Mycorrhizal fungi belong to the group - symbiophytes. This symbiosis(cohabitation) of mushrooms and higher plants. In the process of mutually beneficial cooperation, the tree gives up to 10% sugar and starch to the mushrooms, and the mushrooms give moisture and nutrients (phosphates).
In addition, mycorrhiza prevents infection of tree roots by pathogenic microorganisms, accumulates large amounts of heavy metals (where they are in excess), and creates a buffer environment from adverse effects. Mycorrhiza gives the greatest effect if the environment in which planting is carried out is associated with stress for the seedling: lack of moisture (drought), lack of nutrients, low pH, high concentration of heavy metals, etc.
Conclusion: Before planting hazelnut seedlings, don’t be lazy, go into the forest and hazelnut from a depth of 10-15 cm, collect mycorrhizal soil (forest humus with hyphae and fungi) - this is where the mycorrhiza of fungi is located. This will be the best nanny for your nut plantings for all time - you only need 1-2 handfuls of it(100-200 g)for each hole. Produce a similar bedding when propagating by layering and other methods. Mycorrhiza forms in optimal humidity conditions. A decrease in humidity leads to the death of the fungal root, and if the humidity then increases, new suction roots appear, and mycorrhiza appears again. Mycorrhiza is often found on the roots and at great depths. (Apple, pear, hazel, cherry, plum and berry plants have both mycorrhiza and root hairs).
Z-Z. Common hazel seedlings used as a rootstock are suitable for standard cultivation, provided that the shoots are regularly removed, since a lot of rhizome and stump shoots usually form at the base of the bushes. But you can almost completely get rid of this growth by deepening the grafting sites to a depth of 20–25 cm when planting. And such rootstocks as seedlings of bear nut and its hybrids do not form shoots at all. To prevent shoots from forming on rooted standard plants, a film circle with a diameter of 50-60 cm is placed around the standard, its edges are dug in, and in the center it is tied around the standard 5-10 cm above the root collar. Although grafted specimens are offered for sale, preference should be given to own-rooted ones, so that growth from the rootstock does not bother you in the future.
Some hazelnut varieties are prone to excessive root growth, which leads to depleted bushes and reduced yield. In this case, part of the growth must be removed in early age when the shoots rise 5-8 cm above the soil surface. Cutting them out at the soil surface does not reduce the amount of root shoots. Even the reverse process is observed, since pruning the shoots causes them to branch.
Conclusion: To effectively remove shoots, you need to dig up the soil around each shoot and cut it down to the base with pruning shears. Pruning is carried out as it grows.
The above-mentioned features are not taken into account and, as they say, are at your own loss. When cultivating hazelnuts, it is necessary to take care first of all of the pollinator, of varieties with high winter hardiness of male catkins and female inflorescences. If the area of the plot allows, then plant 5-8 carefully selected varieties and you will only have one problem left - the problem of harvesting. The harvest of nuts from a wild hazel bush reaches 1-3 kg (once every five years), in cultivation almost annually 2-4 kg, under favorable conditions and proper agricultural technology up to 7-10 kg (some varieties).
Since ancient times, Hazel (or Hazel) has been a symbol of fertility, renewal of life and wisdom, strength and justice. Hazel had a magical meaning and protected against the evil eye.
In Siberia, elders believed that on the eve of Trinity, the souls of ancestors visit this world and temporarily inhabit the branches of Hazel.
Knowing about the magical properties of the Hazel, shamans used a forked branch to look for treasures, water, lost things and even deposits of gold ore.
It was believed that the hazel branch was a conductor of magical powers, so sorcerers made from them magic wands and staves.
names of Hazel
Hazel received its name due to the shape of its leaves, similar to the body of the Bream fish.
The Latin name for common hazel is Corylus avellana. This name comes from the city of Avello in Italy, where it was first cultivated in on a large scale This is a plant rich in gifts.
It is worth noting that Leshchina is wild plant, which is the progenitor of Hazelnut. The word “Hazelnut” itself has Turkish roots.
Where does Hazel grow?
Common hazel grows in mixed, broad-leaved and coniferous forests. It can often be found at the bottom of a ravine and on the edges.
After fires and clearings, shrubs easily and quickly colonize spaces, forming thickets, so in forestry it is considered a weed.
There are about 17 species of wild Hazel, while its cultivated relative Hazelnut has about 200 varieties.
Leshchina's homeland is Europe. In nature, Hazel is found in the Caucasus and the Middle East. The most extensive thickets exist in Norway, beyond the Arctic Circle.
In the mountains Leshchina is found at an altitude of up to two kilometers above sea level.
Hazel, like Hazelnut, prefers fertile and loose soil.
What does Leshchina look like?
Most often, Hazel looks like a shrub up to 5-7 meters high, but there are also large representatives up to 10 meters high. Lushly spreading out many small trunks, the bush attracts bees and other insects in the spring, and all kinds of insects in the fall. protein and birds.
The bark has a light gray or brown tint and a smooth texture. The leaves are large and wide. The fruits have a hard shell and sit in velvet pluses, similar to flowers.
The tree begins to bear fruit at the 7-8th year of its life and can live up to 200 years.
When does Hazel bloom?
Hazel blooms along ravines and on the edges, in hollows and clearings. Yellow and golden caterpillars stretch out in the spring sun and hang from thin branches.
This is what male flowers look like, carrying pollen to the wind. These flowers are a real cure for sleepy bees waking up after the winter cold.
Flowering begins in early spring in March or April depending on the weather and region. Blooming Hazel- a good honey plant.
The fruits ripen in the fall in September and fall to the ground, becoming prey for birds and forest animals.
Medicinal properties of hazel
The fruits of Hazel and Hazelnut contain fats, proteins and carbohydrates. They are very high in calories and are a real salvation for a traveler lost in the thicket of the forest.
It has been proven that hazelnuts are more nutritious than soy and meat. In addition, nuts contain fiber, which helps remove toxins from the body.
Fruits rich in vitamins treat anemia and anemia, strengthen hair and immunity. Nuts mashed with honey will help cope with rheumatism.
The bark, roots and fruits are used in medicine. In ancient times, a decoction of the roots was the main remedy for malaria. The bark has antipyretic and antiseptic effects.
Application of Hazel
Common hazel is not suitable for obtaining nuts. In the modern world, nut harvesting is an ignorant method of obtaining this valuable product. Proper extraction of nuts occurs only in special orchards.
Cream, butter, flour and even coffee surrogate are obtained from the extracted kernel. Everyone knows the widespread use of nuts in the confectionery industry.
Hazelnut oil, which is not inferior in quality to almond oil, is used in making soap. Walnut oil is also the base of many paints and is used in cosmetics and perfumes.
Hazel wood is small, but is characterized by high hardness and low fragility, has beautiful shade and paints well. Mostly Hazel wood is used for small products.
Contraindications
The large amount of fat contained in nuts is contraindicated for obese people and people with pancreas problems.
In addition, consumption of any nuts should always be in moderation. A day is enough to eat a handful of nuts that fits in the palm of your hand.
Hazel - Interesting facts
By burning the thin branches of Hazel without access to air, artists made coals for painting.
Hazel has been known in the world for more than 6 thousand years, while archaeological excavations indicate that the ancestors of Hazel existed 50 million years ago.
The main production of truffles is concentrated in European walnut groves.
In Babylon because of its ability to stimulate brain activity ordinary people were forbidden to eat hazelnuts.
The oldest representative of the wild hazel grows in the Crimea and has a bush girth at the roots of 4.7 meters. Hazel's age is approximately 200 years.
Hazelnut, hazel, hazel (Corylus lat.) - the birch family, genus of deciduous. This genus includes up to 20 plant species. Main place of growth: Eurasia and North America. A plant that forms the undergrowth of coniferous-deciduous forests.
The most common cultivated species is common hazel, also known as hazelnut. Also called Pontic, large, and the common name often found is hazelnut.
For many centuries in Europe, hazel has been grown as a cultivated species. This is still done in France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Great Britain, and even in Turkey they grow hazelnuts for industrial purposes. Russia became acquainted with this product in 1773. Merchants brought hazelnuts and exchanged them for haberdashery. Hazel - “leska”, which means leskovy or forest.
Up to 7 meters in height and has a spherical or egg-shaped crown. Large, broadly oval or round foliage with jagged edges. Hazel has two types of flowers:
- The male color develops in the fall, appearing as a dense cylindrical catkin. Blooms early, in early spring before the first leaves.
- The female flower blooms in the last ten days of March and the first half of April.
Hazel pollen is the main food for bees in the spring. The fruits are small, yellow-brown; woody pericarp with one core inside. The nut reaches a diameter of up to two centimeters and ripens at the end of summer.
Grows preferably in temperate and subtropical climates. Plantations can be found by visiting:
- South of Europe;
- Cyprus;
- Turkey;
- Georgia;
- Azerbaijan;
- Belarus;
- Ukraine;
- Central Russia.
Young shoots of walnut can be confused with elm because they have a similar leaf and bark structure and the same color. Only the elm is a tree and grows with one trunk.
Growing hazel in the garden
You can also grow hazelnuts in the garden for yourself; it is not as difficult as it might seem. Hazel trees are planted in the garden in autumn or spring. Preference is given autumn landing, which is produced two weeks before the arrival of cold weather.
The place should not be brightly lit, without drafts and without excess water in the spring. Ground water no closer than 1.5–2 meters from the surface. Do not plant closer than 5 meters from other plants.
A seedling without leaves, with three to four strong shoots. The diameter of the seedling is 1.5–2 cm with well-developed roots. Rhizomes are more than 50 cm; for planting they will need to be reduced by half.
Autumn planting
The pit must be prepared a month in advance. During this time, the soil will settle and become compacted. In fertile soil, it is enough to dig a hole measuring 50x50 cm. In depleted soil, prepare a hole bigger size 80X80 cm, it will have to be filled with additives, such as:
Before planting, the seedling is kept for several hours in a mash of clay and manure. An artificial hill is made in the prepared hole, on which the seedling is placed. It is necessary to pay attention to root collar: after backfilling, it should be 5 cm above the ground level.
Spring planting
It is recommended to plant at least three bushes of different varieties, this will guarantee pollination of the entire hazel. It is very good to add a little hazelnut soil to the hole; the fungi and microorganisms contained there have a beneficial effect on the growth of the young plant.
Necessary care
It is not difficult to care for hazel, but when sowing green manure around the trunk, you will only have to fight with young shoots. Each unnecessary shoot must be excavated and cut off from the root itself, covering the cut with ground coal. It is necessary to prune while the shoots are young.
Features of watering
If there is a lack of moisture, this will definitely affect the harvest. Without moisture, flower buds are poorly formed and fruits do not ripen completely.
The first watering should be done seven days after planting. Carry out the next watering in a month and so five to six times a season. An adult bush drinks up to one hundred liters of water at a time. Hazelnuts love water, so in dry summers they water more often, but during the rainy season you can forget about watering.
Before watering, it is advisable to loosen the soil around the trunk and pour water in portions. Make sure that the liquid is absorbed and does not stand in a puddle. The day after abundant watering it is necessary to loosen the soil again.
Feeding the bush
Autumn feeding of shrubs is done once every two years, for this they take:
Feed in spring nitrogen fertilizer when the buds swell: ammonium nitrate or urea, 25 g of the substance into the ground under the trunk.
The hazel tree will need another nitrogen fertilization in mid-summer to simultaneously ripen the fruits. It is recommended to feed young bushes with organic fertilizer; for this, compost and rotted manure are used once every two to three years. 10 kg of fertilizer is placed under each bush.
Blooming bush
The flowering of a bush is an indicator of its development. Hazel blooms in April before the leaves appear. Earrings grow up to 3 cm per day and reach 10 cm in length. From this moment, pollen scattering begins, which lasts up to two weeks.
The female flowers are already open and trying to catch pollen from the catkins, from their own or from a neighboring bush.
Hazel propagation
In nature, hazel bushes reproduce different ways, For example:
- using seeds;
- overgrown root system.
People grow hazel artificially using:
- layerings and offspring;
- grafting or cuttings;
- divide the bush.
Horizontal layering
In spring or autumn, a young annual shoot is bent to the ground, placed in a furrow to a depth of 10–15 cm. The stem must be secured, the top of the sprout is shortened and left above the surface. The furrow is not covered with soil and remains open. The buds will sprout and begin to grow vertically. It is necessary to remove all foliage from the bottom of the growing branches. After some time, roots will appear, and the seedlings can be divided and planted.
Arc option
Vertical layering is done in approximately the same way: in the spring, a young branch is bent in an arc into a hole dug to a depth of 20–30 cm. The crown of the shoot remains on the surface and is tied to a peg, the middle is cut and covered with earth.
Before autumn, the cuttings will take root and be separated from the main plant. You can grow it right there, but it is better to transplant it to another place.
Offspring: young shoots
About a meter from the hazel trunk, young shoots appear - offspring. Two to three years after planting the main plant, they emerge from dormant root buds. They are given 2–3 years to get stronger, then they can be used for reproduction.
As a rule, peripheral offspring are used. They dig up and cut off the root with an ax. Such seedlings can be immediately planted in a permanent place, several per hole.
Grafting and dividing the bush
For grafting, it is recommended to take wild hazel or bear nut; it does not produce offspring. Budding is carried out in the summer, and cuttings in the spring. Cuttings are cut from the tops or middle of the shoot, harvested in winter and stored under the snow until spring.
When dividing, dig up the bush and divide the roots into two parts. It is important that the root length of each part is more than 20 cm. Crushed coal is used to heal the cuts, after which they are planted.
Wintering of young animals
The first two or three winters are the most important. Young branches are wrapped in spunbond or lutrasil. They cover the young with spruce branches and cover them with snow on top, bending the young shoots to the ground. This guarantees protection against freezing and breaking. Plants older than three years survive winter without difficulty.
Hazel trimming
Cleaning can be carried out in winter, during the period of dormancy and rest of the plant, or in spring at the last stage of flowering of the nut. During the pruning process, movement and movement of the bush will inevitably be created, which will create an artificial increase in pollination.
In the wild, the nut can form as a tree, but in the garden it is easier to grow in the form of a bush. To do this, the first pruning is carried out seven days after planting in the ground at a height of 30 cm. Several new shoots will grow during the season; they do not need to be pruned.
Next spring a bush is formed. Most branches are trimmed, leaving a maximum of 10 healthy shoots. The branches should look in all directions and not touch each other. It is necessary to monitor the bush and prevent overgrowth. The first fruits will appear in the fourth year.
The productivity of hazel decreases by the age of 20; rejuvenation begins at the age of 18. Every year, two or three old branches are cut to the ground. The same number of young offspring are left to replace them. New branches should grow in the center, they should be shortened a little, this will stimulate the lateral growth of dormant buds.
Varieties of hazelnuts
The following varieties of hazelnuts are distinguished:
You can remember about other types of hazel: Chinese, American, Colchis, Horned Hazel, Himalayan. In our latitudes, the Isaevsky species is grown - this is a frost-resistant variety that has large and tasty fruits. You can also name the Masha variety - a hybrid that has good yield and endurance. Roman is a variety of Italian breeders. Average term maturation, which large fruits and good taste.
Characteristics of pests
It is worth noting the most common enemies of hazel, such as:
Description of diseases
Hazelnuts are a fairly unpretentious plant, but they can also get sick:
- Powdery mildew is not just a disease of nuts. Appears whitish coating on foliage and stems, after a while it darkens and becomes dense. Everything that is affected by dew dies. The plant becomes less resistant to frost.
- Fungal rust is a disease caused by a rust fungus that attacks leaves. The leaves turn yellow and fall off.
- White rot is another fungal disease. Hazelnuts can suffer greatly if they become infected with white rot, and even die from this.
When fighting fungal diseases, they resort to fungicides - this Bordeaux mixture, copper sulfate.
Thanks to its unique taste qualities and excellent decorative properties, has long won the respect of gardeners around the world. The cultivated crops, also known as hazelnuts, are grown in industrial scale V southern regions. Wild thickets are found in the forests of the Southern Urals and Perm region, and the Caucasus mountains. Today we’ll talk about what a hazel tree is, is it a shrub or a tree, how is it grown and used? Let's learn about types and distribution of this plant on the planet, about the intricacies of caring for it, increasing its productivity and decorative qualities.
Hazel: is it a shrub or a tree?
Hazel unites the genus of shrubs, but among more than 20 species of its representatives there are also trees. For example, the bear nut, which will be discussed further, is a magnificent specimen of a tree, slender and tall, with a beautiful crown shape. But most hazel species are still shrubs, the wild forms of which form a dense undergrowth in the most common and have a high economic importance hazel, or common hazel. The history of the origin of the word “hazel” is interesting. It's primordial Russian name came from the noticed similarity of the outlines of a bush leaf with the body shape of the lake fish bream, known since ancient times as the breadwinner of the Russians.
What does hazel look like?
The vast majority of hazel species are deciduous shrubs with large, rounded leaves of a magnificent rich green color. Hazel gravitates toward the warm, moist, fertile soils of broad-leaved forests and gets along well with their permanent residents: oaks, elms, maples, dominating the undergrowth and often forming a solid wall. Wild species hazels are branched shrubs with big amount stems coming from the rhizome. They reach a height of 3-5 meters. Bushes can reproduce vegetatively (offsprings and cuttings) or by seeds - nuts. They begin to bear fruit at 6-7 years of age. seed propagation, in the 4th year - during vegetative reproduction. In summer, a hazel bush can be easily identified by its leaves, which have an oval shape and are decorated along the edges with small teeth and a sharp tip. The hazel leaf has a slightly rough texture to the touch.
Basically, the hazel crop is a shrub 5-6 meters in height with smooth bark, the color of which varies from grayish to terracotta-brown. Young shoots are usually colored gray-green, interspersed with small yellowish specks. Young shoots are similar in appearance to linden shoots, differing only in their rather dense pubescence. Hazel shoots can easily be confused with elm. Both their leaves and bark are very similar in color and texture. But there are also differences. The elm, like a real tree, always has only one trunk, and the young growth of hazel is multiple, which is typical of a shrub. In addition, hazel has oval gray-green buds, while elm has reddish and pointed buds.
Features of the view
Hazel is a shrub or tree belonging to monoecious plants, but with separate formation of male and female flowers on the same crop. Male earring flowers are collected in soft yellowish inflorescences, similar to birch or alder catkins. Laid in June-July, they are already clearly visible in the fall and bloom in early spring, as soon as the plant overwinters. The wind picks up and carries pollen.
The female inflorescences are practically invisible. Consisting of small flowers tightly pressed together, they are located inside special buds, also formed in the previous season. During the flowering period, the leaf scales covering the inflorescences move apart, allowing the pollen carried by the wind to be caught in a bunch of bright red stigmas.
Types of hazel
The hazel genus, numbering almost 20 species, is represented by a variety of crops. They are all different, but many species are distinguished by high frost resistance and longevity. Hazel is unpretentious, grows on various soils, but develops more successfully and bears fruit in more fertile soils. Regardless of the type, hazel (it is a shrub or a tree) is moisture-loving, but it does not need excess water. For the most part, it can tolerate slight shading, but in open sunny areas, the decorative effect and productivity of hazelnuts is at its highest. Here are some types of hazel.
Common hazel
This species is represented by a large multi-stemmed shrub up to 4-6 meters high with a wide spreading crown. A peculiarity of the species is that the plant blooms before the leaves bloom. This is why bees love hazel so much. Golden hazel catkins, which appear long before the mass flowering of trees and shrubs, help bees restore strength after a long winter. The leaves of common hazel are matte green, light on the reverse side, and turn yellow in the fall. Hazel growth is uneven. In the first years it develops slowly. In the 5th-6th year it grows sharply, forming many young shoots. In nature, hazel is distributed throughout the European territory of Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, Western Europe and the Caucasus.
Bear nut, or tree hazel
Bear nut is a representative of the tree species, standing out from the general order of its shrub relatives. This average size a tree up to 15-20 meters high and with a crown diameter of up to 6-8 meters, having a slender, beautiful trunk.
The magnificent wide-pyramidal is beautiful and differs from the crowns of other species by its dense dark green foliage, which blooms very early and remains on the branches for a long time. Hazel is a tree covered with whitish-gray bark, coming off in narrow plates. Bear nut grows quickly, is shade-tolerant and frost-resistant, it is not afraid of drought, but it develops better on soils fertilized with humus. The fruits are nuts of a peculiar type, with a delicate wrapper, cut into thin jagged slices. Tree hazel is a rare, albeit undemanding crop: it is easily adaptable, its life expectancy reaches 200 years, and it is propagated by layering and seeds. Wild hazel is a tree that is found in the Caucasus and the Balkans, in Asia Minor. Tree hazel is a rare guest in deciduous mountain forests. In Russia, culture is protected in nature reserves. Bear nut is decorative, excellent for decorating streets and alleys, and effective in linear plantings.
Lombard nut (large hazel)
Monumentally tall hazel, a shrub with magnificent straight branches gray, growing up to 10 meters in height. The leaves are round and jagged at the edges. Lombardy nut is a heat-loving crop and has low winter hardiness.
Cultivated since ancient times as a nut-bearing shrub, large hazel is common in the Balkans and Asia Minor.
The bush produces dense, pubescent annual shoots. The leaves of this culture are broadly oval, almost round, up to 10-12 cm in diameter, heart-shaped at the base, ending with a short and sharp apex. Large men's earrings, reaching ten centimeters, are an excellent decoration. The fruits form crowded rosettes, in which there can be up to 8 pieces, protected by a fluffy tubular wrapper.
The Lombard nut is the ancestor of cultivated hazelnut varieties of industrial importance. It grows excellently on fertilized, fertile, breathable soils and is often used in landscaping as an ornamental shrub.
Red-leaved form of hazel
Such forms of hazel are very impressive due to unusual color foliage and are a multi-stemmed, tall (up to 4 meters) shrub with large dark purple leaves, a red fruit wrapper and a pink colored nut kernel. Red-leaved hazel is an extremely ornamental shrub. But he is a true Southerner, and harsh winters temperate Russian latitudes are destructive for these types of hazel. However, winter insulation gives good results: the plant survives, but does not bloom or bear fruit. Reserving only a decorative function, it creates a unique ambience on the site.
Manchurian hazel
Frost-resistant and very shade-tolerant Manchurian hazel is common in the Far East, Primorye, Korea, and Northern China. It is a shrub up to 4-5 m tall with multiple highly branched shoots. It is famous for the medicinal properties of its fruits and decorative qualities: brown bark, densely pubescent young shoots, wide soft leaves- dark green in summer, turning bright orange or luxurious golden tones in autumn. The fruit of the Manchurian hazel is a pointed nut that is valued in Chinese medicine for its excellent anti-inflammatory properties.
Variegated hazel
A shrub reaching three meters in height, with a dense, spreading crown. Variegated hazel got its name due to the change color shades foliage in one growing season. The leaves are of an unusual shape, wide obovate with three teeth at the top when blooming, have a terracotta hue, in the summer - rich dark green tones, and a golden-orange palette envelops the hazel in the fall. Variegated hazel perfectly tolerates even severe drought, is frost-resistant, and is characterized by very early fruiting. The species is light-loving, but tolerates some shading calmly. It became widespread in eastern Siberia, Asia, and the Far Eastern regions of Russia. Found in the undergrowth of mixed and pine forests, as well as on the edges, clearings, and on hillsides, forming impenetrable thickets.
Horned hazel
A lush multi-stemmed shrub, not exceeding three meters in height, got its name from the appearance of the outer tubular wrapper of the fruit, clasping it and curling into a tube reminiscent of a small horn. Single or paired fruits are located on pubescent stalks. The nuts are large (up to 1.5 cm), edible, but difficult to separate from the wrapper. The species is frost-resistant and unpretentious.
Cultivated since 1745. In nature, the plant is distributed in the eastern part of the North American states.
Application
Hazel is excellent as an ornamental plant. It is used in alley plantings and hedges. But in the southern regions, hazel is grown as a food crop. Hazelnut is a high quality product nutritional value. It contains concentrated substances necessary for the body: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, almost all groups of vitamins, as well as a number of macro- and microelements and their unique compounds. IN Food Industry the nut is traditionally popular due to its high nutritional value And excellent taste. It is indispensable in the production of confectionery and all kinds of sweets, and is used as a filler in the production of chocolate, creams, glazes and caramel. Whole roasted hazelnuts are a favorite delicacy for many.
The hazel plant species (wild and cultivated) have excellent decorative qualities and produce tasty and healthy fruits.
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