Hazelnuts are lovely trees to grow. They don't get too tall and they have a nice shape with foliage that provides both shelter and food for wildlife. This past summer I found some gray treefrogs resting on hazelnut leaves and I watched a pair of catbirds raise some young in a nest they built in one of the trees. I harvest some of the nuts but leave many for the critters, like the chipmunks that probably eat more than their fair share; I enjoy watching the pesky little rodents climbing up into the trees to harvest the nuts. One of the best things about hazelnuts is watching the nut clusters develop and then harvesting the nuts in the fall.
In the past many more wild hazelnuts grew in Iowa's woodlands than today. Now that I have established a small hazelnut plantation near my cabin, my next goal is to begin planting young hazelnut trees in the woods on my property.
I think the world would be a better place if everyone took the time to plant hazelnuts trees.
