NUT TREES  - COB NUTS & FILBERTS

Both are derived from the species of Corylus and are very similar in growth and habit. The nuts of the filbert are slightly longer and narrower. Both types are very easy to grow and make a medium sized bush that is pruned rather like apples. The best way to grow them is as cup-shaped bushes on a 15" stem. In the first few years the leaders are cut back by half, to an outward pointing bud. Keep the tree to a maximum height of 6-7' and always try to prune in February, during the latter part of flowering. When the tree is established and fruiting, try not to prune the laterals that bear the nut producing tiny red flowers. Cob nuts and filberts are easy to grow on most soils, but try not to make your soil too rich, as very good soil tends to encourage growth at the expense of the nuts. They prefer a sheltered position as the flowers open very early and, although they tolerate shade, a sunny position is ideal. Pick the nuts when the husks are quite hard, dry on a warm windowsill or on a tray in the greenhouse and like the squirrels, store and eat the nuts by Christmas. Plant 15' apart.

BUTLER

A high yielding, large, strongly flavoured nut which is easily picked. A moderately vigorous tree which is good for more windy sites. Produces a high proportion of large, single nuts.

ENNIS

If you are looking for quality rather than quantity this is the variety for you. Not a heavy cropper but the nuts are very large and have a superb flavour and texture. The tree is very compact.

GUNSLEBERT

An excellent addition to the range. Very large clusters of up to 8 medium to large nuts with a strongly nutty flavour. A very heavy regular cropper on a compact bush. It is even resistant to earwigs(!) as the hull is very tight!

COSFORD COB

A very good sweeter flavour. A large, oblong nut produces on a bush that is an excellent pollinator for other varieties. A very heavy cropper and the flowering catkins are numerous and an attractive bright yellow.

NOTTINGHAM (Pearson's Prolific)

Makes a small, compact tree, with an excellent display of numerous pale yellow catkins. A very good pollinator for other varieties. Medium sized nuts with a good flavour.

FILBERT-KENTISH COB (Lambert's Filbert)

A well balanced bush that crops very heavily. The nuts are large, light brown and long, with an excellent flavour. The most widely planted variety of all.

DI GIFFONI

Italian raised and very valuable as a more compact form than the other varieties but producing very large individual nuts together with an abundant crop. Extra long and highly attractive catkins are an added bonus. If you have previously felt Hazelnuts to be too big for your garden think again, di Giffoni could easily be contained to 6’. £18.95.

GEANT DE HALLE

A variety from Europe. Good crops from what seems to be a large bush.

RED FILBERT

A long, narrow nut with an excellent flavour. The catkins, although sparsely produced, are long and bright claret red. A very ornamental tree, but only a moderate crop of nuts. This variety requires a pollinator.

WEBB'S KENTISH COB

Almost identical to Kentish Cob.

PRICES ALL VARIETIES

3 year old bush:
1 bush £18.95
2 bushes £35.95

SPANISH WHITE FILBERT

Well, new to our lists this is actually a very old and distinct White Filbert of very, very fine flavour. It has only a thin shell which is prettily marked with dark lines and excellent Autumn leaf colour. Makes a medium size upright blush, pollinated by Cosford Cob and others. Something distinctly different for the nut grower. Stock limited

PURPLE LEAVED FILBERT

The ornamental variety Corylus Purpureus. Produces only a moderate crop.

PRICE: £14.95 each (dispatched at shrub size)

NOTE: all of our cob nuts and filberts are now propagated from certified virus free material for the very best results (Webb's Kentish Cob, Purple Leaved Filbert and Red Filbert excepted).