Hazelnut 'Gellatly' Seedling

Gellatly’s hazel breeding brought together European hazel, native beaked hazel and Turkish tree hazel. Selections such as Manoka and Faroka represent different parts of that work. Growing seedlings from this diverse heritage gives us a productive hedge and new material to select, carrying a long Okanagan breeding tradition into another generation.

Hybrid Hazelnuts grow as bushy, multi-stemmed shrubs with rounded canopies. They leaf out in spring with bright green foliage, followed by inconspicuous yellowish catkins in early spring, which are the male flowers. Female flowers are small and red, leading to nut clusters that mature in late summer to early fall. Over the years, they establish deep roots, improving drought tolerance and contributing to soil stability.

Size at Maturity- Shrub Layer. Typically grows to 8–15 ft tall with a similar spread. Large bushes can get upwards of 20 ft and can be pruned back for easier harvesting.

Current Size-

Commercial hazelnuts are widely grown in Turkey, Italy and Oregon. Orchard harvesters collect fallen nuts from the ground, making hazels an established example of a perennial food crop suited to mechanized farm production. The same shrubs also supply shelter and flexible wood.