Wild hazelnuts are a somewhat uncommon sight in my area, and it think it may be due, at least in part, to low soil pH (blueberry farms are fairly common here). Hazelnuts prefer a pH of at least 6.8. When I came across a few well-established wild hazelnuts, I decided to test the soil pH around each one. The soil around one particular specimen yielded these results:
These results seem to suggest that this hazelnut specimen is unusually tolerant of acidic soil. I’m thinking of propagating the bush and using it as rootstock for named hazelnut varieties.
i have my blueberries growing right next to my hazels. both are growing great. never tested the soil but we tend to lean toward the acidic side. both hazels and blueberries grow wild here.
I read about hazelnuts’ 6.8+ pH preference in a publication by commercial hazelnut growers (Z’s Nutty Ridge). Other growers and extension offices recommend a wide pH range of about 5.5-7.5. Sorry for posting before checking other sources.
Perhaps the narrower preference only applies in fields that share other characteristics with Z’s field, like soil texture or composition.
Ya, I got lots of wild blueberries and hazels (beaked and American) also, and my soil is acidic. I planted Hazelberts, and they are going a bit slow which i assume is due to my low nitrogen soil… perhaps a bit of lime will help.
Good adaptbility/ vigor in acid clay is improved with the americana, colurna & cornuta sp. Sucks with European hazelnuts unless limed with one exception as far as I know. Wepster. Consistently blows away hunderton, dorris, monmouth, Sacajawea, and Raritan in growth. The beast is also very vigoroous.
Thank you for that cultivar-specific information! So far I have Winkler and the four Rutgers varieties. The Winklers seem to be fairly pH sensitive. It’s too soon for me to tell how sensitive the Rutgers hazels are.
