Five Interesting Facts About Northwest Hazelnuts

Here at Chukar, we celebrate the beauty and bounty of the Pacific Northwest. And that includes the incredible Oregon hazelnut!

Hazelnuts have made an appearance in two new Holiday 2022 products: the Holiday Hazelnut Cherry Box and Milk Chocolate Spiced Hazelnuts. Hazelnuts are known for their unique flavor, which many enthusiasts describe as nutty, creamy, and earthy with a smooth buttery flavor. 

Since embracing hazelnuts into our product line, we've learned some interesting facts about them that we'd love to share with you!

1. Hazelnuts Are Named for Their Appearance

The word “hazel” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word haesel, meaning “bonnet." As they grow on the branch, hazelnuts are surrounded by a green husk, as pictured below. They are also often called "filberts," which come from the German word vollbart, meaning "full beard." Even the hazelnut's scientific name "genus Corylus" derives from the Green word for “helmet,” in reference to the hazelnut’s shell.

2. Hazelnuts Grow Almost Exclusively in One Valley Region in Oregon

Oregon produces 99% of all hazelnuts in the United States and, likewise, the hazelnut is Oregon's state nut. Specifically, the Willamette Valley to the south of Portland provides the ideal moderate climate for the trees to flourish. This special corner of the world is where river, mountain, and ocean climates combine with rich volcanic soils to produce the right conditions for a large hazelnut crop production. Currently about 1000 Oregon farms grow hazelnuts on 87,000 acres.

The most popular variety of hazelnut grown in Oregon is the Barcelona, though there are nearly twenty other commercial varieties of hazelnut currently grown.

3. Hazelnuts Have the Highest Folate and Proanthocyanidin of Any Tree Nut

Folate is an essential B vitamin that helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, depression, and birth defects in newborns (which is why pregnant mothers are advised to take folic acid). Hazelnuts are also a potent natural source of proanthocyanidin, wich is a polyphenol compound with high levels of antioxidants that may help reduce the risk of blood clotting and urinary tract infections.

Bonus: hazelnuts are also high in dietary fiber, vitamin E, and essential minerals like zinc and magnesium.

4. Hazelnuts Bloom and Pollinate During Winter

As former cherry farmers who previously paid close attention to springtime pollination, we can tell you that this timing is a truly unique attribute of the hazelnut. 

Hazelnuts are monoecious, meaning they have separate male and female flowers on the same tree. In late winter, small spiny flowers (female) and long, trailing gold catkins (male) come into maturity on the trees. The hazelnut trees must cross-pollinate using wind, birds, or insects who transfer pollen from one variety of hazelnut to another tree nearby. It can take up to a year following pollination for hazelnuts to be ready to harvest, which is why most commercial growers harvest in October. Peak pollination season is from January through February.

5. Hazelnut Trees Require a Lot of Work! 

With their winding and complex trunks, hazelnut trees appear to be from a fairy tale. However, those shapes are no accident. Young hazelnut trees require intensive "training," as many varieties twist and spread outward, especially in the first two years of growth.

Caring for older hazelnut trees requires knowledge of how to prune, trim, and shape to properly protect the trees from damage or pests. Because of the trees' sensitive climate needs and pruning requirements, most trees are grown commercially instead of residentially.

But all of that hard work pays off: hazelnut trees can produce until over 100 years of age!

Photo courtesy of Oregon Hazelnut Industry

In closing, we really hope this blog has encouraged you to try the incredible Oregon hazelnut found in our newest holiday chocolate products. Each confection is divine marriage of the Oregon hazelnut with chocolate in two unique ways: with spiced chocolate or with dried cherries and milk chocolate. These warming, delicious flavors are here to help you celebrate the holidays—and the Pacific Northwest.