Hazelnut bushes exist here because a naturalist friend recommended them to us. We planted them in 1998. She advised us to allow the suckers to grow creating a bush rather than trying for a tree with a single trunk. We followed her advice and now have the two bushes required for pollination. Rock hard nuts and aged teeth do not seem like much of a match so no attempt is made to harvest these nuts. They are finally doing well here and we do enjoy watching their natural cycle.
The fall appearing catkins appearing alongside of the mature fruit seem to be in contradiction. Many plants form their flower buds in the fall then hold them over for spring function. We will pay closer attention to the cycle of this bush.
The hull protecting each developing nut is nothing short of amazing. This one has fallen from the tree, split open and still holds tightly to its fruit.
The largest chipmunk ever seen here claims ownership of this bounty. The pile of discarded hull wrappers remains on the wall while the nuts have been secreted away. Chipmunks tend to be sassy animals that are slow to flee from humans. The monster claiming ownership of this wall will not be challenged. It appears to be serious about protecting this wall and bush.
1 comment:
We planted an entire row of hazelnuts. This spring they were covered with flowers. This summer they were full of nuts. This fall there was not one nut, not one husk, nothing to be seen. Sigh.
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