Hazelnuts have a long history of supporting civilization in North America and Europe - and they are an incredibly easy and bulletproof plant to grow and maintain.
This makes them a popular choice for home and commercial growers alike.
Native Habitat:
Hazelnuts are native to Europe, Asia, and North America, and are known for their adaptability to a wide range of soil types and climates. They are particularly well-suited to cooler regions and can tolerate cold winters and drought conditions.
History:
Hazelnuts have been cultivated for thousands of years, with evidence of their use dating back to ancient Greece and Rome. They are a valuable source of food and have been used in a variety of culinary dishes, from desserts to savory entrees.
Ease of Growing:
Hazelnuts are incredibly easy to grow and maintain, making them an ideal choice for both novice and experienced growers. They require minimal pruning and attention and are resistant to pests and diseases. Hazelnuts are also self-pollinating, which means that only one plant is needed for fruit production.
Known Uses:
Hazelnuts are most commonly used for their delicious and nutritious nuts, which can be eaten fresh or used in a variety of culinary dishes, including baking, roasting, and cooking. Hazelnuts are also a popular choice for nut butter and are a key ingredient in Nutella. In addition to their culinary uses, hazelnuts are also used in landscaping and can be used to create hedges and windbreaks.
Overall, hazelnuts are an incredibly easy and resilient plant to grow and maintain, making them a valuable addition to any garden or landscape. Their delicious and nutritious nuts, as well as their ease of cultivation, make them a popular choice for both commercial and home growers.
Their provision of long lasting nutrient dense protein food, along with their ease of management as coppice stools for charcoal and building supplies cemented their status of importance for thousands of years. For example, records show that in the 4th century CE a hazel stool was worth 3.75 sheep (Coppice Agroforestry).
Hazelnut economy of early Holocene hunter-gatherers: a case study from Mesolithic Duvensee, northern Germany
The intensive utilisation of plant foods, especially hazelnuts, forms a “hallmark” of the early Mesolithic. For the first time in European prehistory, subsistence was verifiably based on a substantial degree on plant food. The achievements of this innovative strategy of high return-harvestings are evident in the establishment of a continued settlement tradition at Duvensee. The protection of the valuable hazelnut thickets that may even have included their management (Bos and Urz, 2003; Firbas, 1949) provokes the idea of a right of exploitation or ownership. Storage of the nutrient-rich fruits could have favoured a reduction of the often implied high mobility as signs of regionalisation regarding technical traditions may carefully suggest (Holst, 2007). (Source)
One day it happened that the father was going to the fair, and he asked his two stepdaughters what he should bring back for them. "Beautiful dresses," said the one. "Pearls and jewels," said the other. "And you, Cinderella," he said, "what do you want?" "Father, break off for me the first twig that brushes against your hat on your way home." So he bought beautiful dresses, pearls, and jewels for his two stepdaughters. On his way home, as he was riding through a green thicket, a hazel twig brushed against him and knocked off his hat. Then he broke off the twig and took it with him. Arriving home, he gave his stepdaughters the things that they had asked for, and he gave Cinderella the twig from the hazel bush.