Butler Hazelnut Tree
Butler is a heavy-cropping[2], moderately vigorous, American hazelnut tree grown for large, edible, reliable[1], sweet nuts with a strong flavour and very good texture. [1] [2] Possibly voted as the one to go nuts for by many squirrel satisfaction surveys.
Butler is sold as a hazel, hazelnut tree or filbert tree, and RHS lists it as Corylus avellana ‘Butler’. [2] [3]
It also has ornamental value, with showy hazel catkins in early spring before the nuts develop later in the year. [3] Not the sort of ornamental you should put over the fireplace or send them as Christmas gifts, but they do make a great feature in the garden.
The nuts are picked in late September and are useful for eating and cooking. [1] Research on Butler also describes the nuts as usually forming in clusters of two or three, with a fairly uniform blocky shape, medium-brown striped shell, and plump kernels after drying. [4]
Butler is not self-fertile, so it needs a compatible hazel nearby for reliable nut production. Good pollination partners include Gunslebert Hazelnut, Filbert Cosford, Ennis and Hall’s Giant / Merveille de Bollwiller. [1] [2] [6] Butler is considered a good pollinator for other hazelnut trees[4].
This matters because hazels are wind-pollinated and rely on compatible pollen from another variety. [5] For good pollination, plant compatible hazel trees within about 15m of each other where possible. [6]
Butler is a moderately vigorous to strongly growing hazelnut tree. We could not find a definitive mature Butler tree height but other similar trees grow to around 4–7m tall. This is a reasonable guide if left largely unpruned. [1] [2] [6]
Planting a Butler Hazelnut Tree
Plant Butler in sun or light shade. For the best nut production, choose fertile, well-drained soil and avoid a cold, exposed or very wet position where possible. [3] [6]
Before planting, water the pot well. Dig a generous planting hole, loosen the surrounding soil, and plant the tree at the same depth it was growing in the pot. Firm the soil gently around the roots and water thoroughly after planting.
Keep the tree watered during dry spells while it establishes, especially in the first growing season.
Other Interesting Information About Butler Hazelnut Trees
Butler has a more unusual background than many garden hazels. It originated as a seedling tree in the orchard of Joseph C. Butler of Wilsonville, Oregon. [4] It was not introduced just because someone liked the name. The original research release described Butler as a filbert polliniser selected for high yield and its ability to pollinate Barcelona and Ennis in Pacific Northwest hazelnut production. [4]
Butler is also described in research as free-husking, meaning the nuts separate from the husk more readily. [4]
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Show sources
[1] Frank P Matthews — Butler Hazel
https://www.frankpmatthews.com/catalogue/fruit-trees/hazel/butler/
[2] RHS — Cobnuts and filberts cultivar selection including Butler
https://www.rhs.org.uk/nuts/cobnuts-filberts
[3] RHS — Corylus avellana / Hazel plant details
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/4511/corylus-avellana-%28f%29/details
[4] Thompson, Lagerstedt and Mehlenbacher — Butler: A Filbert Pollinizer
https://journals.ashs.org/downloadpdf/view/journals/hortsci/15/6/article-p833.pdf
[5] Oregon State University Extension — Growing Hazelnuts in the Pacific Northwest: Pollination and Nut Development
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/em-9074-growing-hazelnuts-pacific-northwest-pollination-nut-development
[6] Kentish Cobnuts Association — Growing Nuts
https://kentishcobnutsassociation.org.uk/growing-nuts/
Planting In The Corner Of A Garden
Air and light is reduced in this location which could promote fungus and bacterial issues. Corners of houses and fences can also suffer leaching issues so we advise against it.
For Cheaper Hazelnut Trees click CHEAP HAZELNUT TREE OFFER Or Here For Hazel Hedging
General Hazelnut Storing
Hazelnuts can be stored after harvest if they are dried properly and kept cool. Oregon State University Extension says good eating quality can be kept for up to a year in the refrigerator, and up to two years if frozen. For ordinary home use, the important point is simple: dry the nuts well, keep them cool and dry, and do not store damp nuts in a sealed container. [1] [2]
Picking Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts can be picked early as green cobnuts for fresh eating, or left longer to ripen fully for drying and storage.
For fresh green cobnuts, pick when the nuts are full-sized but still green. Keep them cool, ventilated and turn them regularly so they do not sweat and go mouldy. [4]
For ripe hazelnuts, wait until the husks begin to yellow and the nuts turn brown, usually in autumn. Once picked, dry them in a cool, airy place before storing. [3]
Properly dried hazelnuts keep far better than damp or freshly picked nuts. [1] [2]
Pruning Hazelnut Trees
Prune hazelnuts, cobnuts and filberts mainly in winter, while the plant is dormant. Remove dead, damaged, diseased, crossing and crowded stems, then keep the middle open so light and air can reach the framework. RHS says winter pruning is ideally done when the catkins are releasing pollen, because moving the branches can help release it and improve pollination. Kentish Cobnuts Association recommends maintaining around 6–8 outward-growing framework branches. Remove unwanted suckers if they are crowding the base, but selected suckers can be kept where they help fill gaps or renew an older framework. [3] [5]
Hazelnut Brutting
Brutting is an optional summer pruning technique used on hazelnuts, cobnuts and filberts, mainly by more serious nut growers. In August, strong new side shoots are partly broken by hand rather than cut off cleanly. This is done on the long new side shoots, not on the main framework branches. Bend each strong side shoot roughly in half until it cracks, but leave the broken end hanging on until winter pruning. This checks vigorous leafy growth, opens the plant up to more light and air, and helps the remaining wood and fruit buds ripen for the following year. It can make the tree easier to manage and may improve cropping, but it is not essential for beginners; normal winter pruning is enough for most garden-grown hazel. [3]
Coppiced hazel wood has many traditional uses, including basket work, bean rods, pea sticks, thatching spars, hurdles, hedge stakes and garden supports. Forestry Commission material lists historic and modern uses of hazel coppice including wattles, hurdles, pea sticks, bean rods, thatching spars, hedge stakes and garden fencing. [6]
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