Best zone 5 hazelnut?

i want to grow some hazelnuts and theres so many varieties to chose from and none are really jumping out at me that are zone 5 hardy.

i was wondering if you all had any suggestions? looking for hardiness AND/OR production AND/OR nut size/quality/flavor.

also is anyone growing the Ennis variety in zone 5? its my main choice but says zone 6 hardy.

i plan on growing Giant filbert (Corylus maxima) but want a good commercial hazelnut as well. any input welcome

I would consider looking at the hazelburts that St. Lawrence Nursery carries. But I don't know how blight resistant they are. They cater to environments even colder than zone 5.

thanks james ill look into it

I am in Oroville and looking to plant hazelnuts when I am ready.

Something you will run into is most reputable dealers will only sell in spring as that being the plants season.

Some nurseries I am looking at are:

https://www.starkbros.com/products/nut-trees/filbert-hazelnut-trees/showall

https://raintreenursery.com/nut-trees/nut-trees-filberts-hazels

here is a whole list to go through https://members.oregonhazelnuts.org/page/Nurseries

don't forget Arborday trees https://shop.arborday.org/product-nursery.aspx?zpid=847 though they only see eastern hazels for some reason.

hope this helps, and let us know of you successes and failures.

In Europe, you could get a very good price for Hazelnut oil (either from roasted nuts or raw ones), can be used as a gourmet oil, or in cosmetics. Those who know about hazelnut oil, place high value on it.
The nuts mixed in chocolate, it is a ingredient that creates a amazing flavour. Hazelnuts are local in many parts of Europe where almonds are not, but because almonds are more common ( and sometimes cheaper) they are often used intead of hazelnuts, but the flavour of roasted hazelnuts is amazing.
Plus all the things you could do with the wood itself.
Let's plant more hazel.

Devin Lavign wrote:I am in Oroville and looking to plant hazelnuts when I am ready.

Something you will run into is most reputable dealers will only sell in spring as that being the plants season.

Some nurseries I am looking at are:

https://www.starkbros.com/products/nut-trees/filbert-hazelnut-trees/showall

https://raintreenursery.com/nut-trees/nut-trees-filberts-hazels

here is a whole list to go through https://members.oregonhazelnuts.org/page/Nurseries

don't forget Arborday trees https://shop.arborday.org/product-nursery.aspx?zpid=847 though they only see eastern hazels for some reason.

hope this helps, and let us know of you successes and failures.

Burnt ridge usually has decent hazelnuts

Hey there West,

A couple years ago I attended an info session about growing hazelnuts commercially in eastern ontario. Turns out it was actually an info session about how we can't grow hazelnuts commercially...at least not for big companies. They said there was development happening to breed for a hardier tree that would still produce a large quality nut, but that the trials they had done weren't successful yet on a large scale.
Sorry I can't remember more info about it.

You've probably already read this, but just in case: Hazelnuts in Ontario

I don't have experience growing any, but if you haven't come across these varieties you could check them out:
Gene
Carmela
Grimo

thanks for the input nicky, i think my go to will be grimo, as its an ontario developed cultivar, as well as the wild species Corylus maxima, the giant filbert

Here's some extra info about that commercial opportunity: Ferrero in Ontario

And there's other articles out there as well. Cheers.