Hazel Bush (Corylus avellana)

[ENG] Hazel Bush (Corylus avellana)

Spread: Hazelnut shrubs grows naturally all across Europe. Turkey is the world's largest producer of commercial hazelnut.

Description: Hazel is one of the first spring-flowering plants to spread their first pollen. Hazelnut shrubs produce delicious hazelnuts late in the summer. In some countries hazelnuts became so valuable that access to them was restricted, which has led to hazelnuts often going to waste.

General: One peeled hazelnut is almost half the size due to its thick shell, nevertheless it is really tasty and importantly healthy. The nut contains about 17.5% protein, 7-8% starch and sugars, and 60-65% fat in the form of essential fatty acids. It also contains other nutrients, E-B-K vitamins, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, calcium, zinc and potassium. In countries where hazelnut shrubs and other nut varieties grow in abundance, it is commonplace for people to eat one handful of nuts each day, as it is a great source of nutrients and fatty acids.

In the pictures:

A - Male catkins (picture: Tom Ahlström)

B - Female catkins (picture: Tom Ahlström)

C - Ripe hazelnut (the nut is ripe when it fully fills up the shell) (picture: Tom Ahlström)