How to grow Hazelnut in New Zealand
Hazelnuts are hardy, deciduous small trees that crop well wherever apples crop well, and they are grown commercially in Canterbury and other South Island districts. They are wind pollinated in winter and need a second, compatible variety nearby. Trained to a single trunk and kept free of suckers, a pair of trees gives a household plenty of nuts each late summer and autumn.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Hazelnuts in New Zealand
At a glance
When to plant by region
| Region | When to plant | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| Northland | Not suited | Needs a long cold winter to set nuts. Northland does not get enough chill. |
| Auckland | June to August | |
| Waikato & Bay of Plenty | June to August | |
| Central North Island | June to August | |
| Wellington & Lower North Island | June to August | |
| Nelson & Marlborough | June to August | |
| Canterbury | June to August | |
| Otago & Southland | June to August | |
| Central Otago | June to August |
Where to plant
Hazels need a deep, fertile soil with good moisture and adequate drainage, ideally around pH 6 to 7. They tolerate lime-rich soils and cope with wetter ground better than chestnuts. They are frost hardy, but established wind shelter is a must, as persistent harsh wind slows growth and cuts yields.
They grow best where rain is spread through spring and early summer, from September to January, and they dry out quickly in hot, dry weather, so irrigation is needed in drier districts. Dry weather at harvest, from February to early April, helps give good-quality nuts.
- Northland: not recommended in our planting data, as winters are too mild for reliable nut set. Some low-chill Italian varieties may crop, but they are untested for home gardens there.
- Auckland to the Bay of Plenty and the central North Island: worth growing where apples crop well, with good shelter.
- Wellington, Nelson and Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago and Southland, and Central Otago: well suited. Plant bare-root trees from June to August, and irrigate through dry summers on the east coast and inland.
Choosing a variety
| Variety | Notes |
|---|---|
| Whiteheart | The variety most South Island growers favour. Low vigour, about the size of a vigorous apple tree, with small, well-flavoured nuts. Prone to bacterial blight and big bud mite. Pollinated by Merveille de Bollwiller and Alexandra among others |
| Merveille de Bollwiller | Known as a near universal pollinator with midseason catkins, and gives larger, round nuts |
| Alexandra | Grown mainly as a long-shedding, late pollinator for Whiteheart and Merveille |
| Barcelona | Vigorous, high yielding, and highly resistant to big bud mite |
| Ennis | Large nuts; moderately sensitive to big bud mite |
Hazels are self-incompatible: the catkins must come from a different variety that sheds pollen when your main variety is flowering. For a home garden, buy two compatible varieties, or a main variety plus its recommended pollinator, and plant them within about 15 to 20 m of each other, as pollen falls off quickly with distance.
How to plant
- Plant bare-root trees in winter while dormant. Keep the roots moist and wrapped until planting.
- Choose a sheltered, sunny spot and clear the grass and weeds from a wide circle.
- Dig a hole larger than the root system, spread the roots out and plant at the depth the tree grew in the nursery.
- Water well after planting, then mulch, keeping mulch off the stem.
- Space Whiteheart trees about 2.5 to 3 m apart and more vigorous varieties 4 to 4.5 m apart. Place the pollinator upwind of the main tree if you can.
Watering and feeding
Keep young trees well watered through their first summers. Established hazels still need steady moisture through spring and summer; in most South Island districts some summer watering is needed, and dry weather while the nuts fill increases blank nuts.
Feed with a balanced general fertiliser in spring. Good potassium nutrition may help reduce blank nuts.
Pruning and care through the year
- Hazels sucker freely from the base and will become a dense bush if left alone. Remove suckers regularly and train the tree to a single stem with an open vase of four or five main branches.
- Prune in winter to keep the centre open to light. Nuts form on strong one-year-old wood, so remove weak, shaded growth.
- Keep grass and weeds under the trees short or mulched, both to reduce competition and to make it easier to find fallen nuts.
- Protect young trees from rabbits where they are common.
Harvesting
Hazelnuts are ready from February to April, depending on variety; each variety drops its nuts over three to four weeks. Most varieties let the nuts fall when ripe, so gather them from the ground every few days. Nuts deteriorate quickly if left lying on damp ground.
Some nuts fall early in summer still in the husk; these are usually blanks with no kernel, which is normal for some varieties. Dry the harvested nuts in a warm, airy spot until the kernels are crisp, then store them in their shells in a cool, dry place, where they keep for months.
Pests and diseases
Big bud mite is the main hazelnut pest in New Zealand, especially in drier districts. Birds, possums and rats also take nuts, and green vegetable bugs can spoil kernels.
Pests to watch for
- Big bud mite Buds swell into round, fat galls in winter and die in spring instead of opening. Pick off and destroy affected buds; choose resistant varieties such as Barcelona.
- Birds Nuts pecked open on the tree as they fill. Net small trees.
- Green vegetable bug Shield-shaped bugs feeding on maturing nuts, leaving distorted, bitter kernels; worse near native bush.
- Lemon tree borer Holes and sawdust-like frass in limbs. Cut out weakened branches.
- Leafroller caterpillars Rolled, webbed leaves, and chewing damage to young shells.
Diseases to watch for
- Bacterial blight Dark spots on leaves and dieback of young shoots and buds, worst on young or stressed trees of susceptible varieties such as Whiteheart. Copper sprays control it.
Common questions
Do I need two hazelnut trees?
Yes. Hazels need pollen from a different, compatible variety that sheds its catkins while your main variety is flowering in winter. Plant a recommended pollinator, such as Merveille de Bollwiller or Alexandra for Whiteheart, within about 15 to 20 m.
How long until a hazelnut tree produces nuts?
Expect a small first crop, up to about 500 g a tree, around the fourth year, rising to about 1 to 2 kg a tree by the sixth year and more as the tree matures, according to the NZ Tree Crops Association.
When are hazelnuts ready?
From February to April, depending on variety. Most varieties drop their ripe nuts, so collect them from the ground every few days and do not leave them lying on damp ground.
Why are my hazelnuts empty?
Blank nuts with no kernel are common and partly depend on the variety. Dry weather while the nuts are filling and poor nutrition, potassium in particular, are thought to play a part. Many blanks drop early, still in the husk.
What are the swollen buds on my hazel?
Those are big bud mite galls. The buds swell over winter and die in spring. Pick off and destroy affected buds on small trees, and choose resistant varieties such as Barcelona.
Can I grow hazelnuts in Auckland or Northland?
Our planting data rules out Northland for lack of winter chill. The NZ Tree Crops Association notes that chill needs vary by variety and hazels crop well wherever apples crop well, so in Auckland and further south a sheltered, well-watered site is worth trying.
Sources we checked: NZ Tree Crops Association: Hazel, hazelnut crop guide; Hazelnut Nurseries NZ: How to grow and manage hazelnut trees; Hazelnut Growers Association of NZ: Bulletin 3, flowering and pollination.