Seeds of Wild Himalayan hazelnut (Corylus ferox Wall.) — 10 pcs

Wild Himalayan nut, Corylus ferox Wall., or Himalayan hazel.

Description:
A deciduous tree or shrub growing to 10-20 m tall.

The leaves are oval or elliptical, 5-15 cm long, with finely serrated edges and a pointed tip.

The male flowers form long catkins (yellow, pink, or greenish), while the female flowers are hidden within the buds, distinguished only by their bright red or purple stigmas. It blooms from May to July.

The fruits are round, up to 1.5 cm in diameter, with a thick, hard shell. They taste similar to common hazelnuts. They ripen in July-September.

Uses:
They are eaten raw, but they can also be salted, fried, candied, made into flour and paste, used to make nut halva, or ground into butter.

Growing Conditions:
Prefers a sunny location with moist, well-drained soil.

USDA Hardiness Zone:
8-9 (-10°C to -5°C).

Growing from Seed:
Seeds require stratification at 3-5°C. After 3-6 months, seedlings emerge as single plants, with mass germination occurring in the second year.

There are several ways to grow hazelnuts. Growing from nuts is the simplest. This can be done in spring or fall. Fall planting of hazelnuts from nuts should be done approximately one month before frost and snowfall. Plant seeds at a rate of 50 nuts per square meter, burying them 7-8 cm deep in the soil.

If for any reason it was not possible to plant hazelnut seeds outdoors in the fall, the nuts should be stratified before spring planting to improve germination.

To grow hazelnuts, you can plant seeds either as seedlings or in open ground. If, after stratification, seedlings are few or nonexistent, you should wait until next spring. The nuts may not have undergone the necessary stratification, and this will happen in winter.