Fruit and Nut

Cobnuts

Cobnuts are a Fruit and Nut speciality and we have been the leading supplier of cobnut trees in Ireland for a number of years. We also supply cobnut trees to many other European countries, particularly the UK.

We use the word 'cobnut' to cover all cultvated varieties of the hazelnut (including filberts). Please note that cobnuts are not self fertile, for success plant two or more different varieties. This will ensure good pollination. Trees are available in many different sizes, from 40-240cm.

Many nurseries supply cobnut trees as multi-stemmed shrubs. This is NOT the way to grow cobnuts for nut production: without continual intervention the trees will become a pruning disaster and nut production will always be compromised. The trees should be trained with a single stem, similar to an apple tree. Our trees are propagated by stooling and at year 2 are trained back to a single stem.

Our cobnuts

Cobnuts (and in general all hazels) are slow to develop good roots. Over the last few years we have been experimenting with different cultivation techniques, resulting in very high quality young trees. The reason for this is the emphasis on root development. We're now producing trees that have more extensive root development at 2 years than they did in previous years at 3 or even 4 years old, leading to much quicker tree development and earlier nut production. Our secret? Provide the trees with what they need!

The first trees produced under the new regime - which is fully organic from year 1 - reached saleable age this season (2019/20) and by next season all our cobnut trees will be raised this way.

Over the next 2-6 years we will be introducing further refinements to the production process - including the implementaton of organic methods from year zero - which will lead to even stronger and healthier trees.

Trees available (generally end of November to mid April but some sizes may only be available end of February to mid April - please enquire):

One year rooted cuttings (propagated by stooling) 30-40 cm high. Only suitable for growing on in a bed for a further1-2 years before planting out in a final position, and require a lot of care. Suitable only for professional growers. Minimum quantity 50 plants (per variety). Cultivars available: Cosford, Hall's Giant, Nottingham (Pearson's Prolific) Rode Zellernoot and Webb's Prize.

Two year barerooted trees, various sizes from 60 cm. Pruned back to a single stem. Generally best grown on for a further year but if well tended can be planted out in a final position. owing to reduced shipping costs (compared to 3yr trees) this is often the best option for export orders. Cultivars available: Cosford, Hall's Giant, Nottingham (Pearson's Prolific), Rode Zellernoot and Webb's Prize (sometimes also the Dutch variety EMOA1 and others to special order).

Three year barerooted trees various sizes from 60 cm. Trained as a single stem tree. The larger sizes are capable of bearing nuts the first year. Generally the most popular tree for planting out. Cultivars available: Cosford, Hall's Giant, and Nottingham (Pearson's Prolific), Rode Zellernoot and Webbs Prize (sometimes Kentish cob and EMOA1, and others tospecial order).

Four year barerooted trees various sizes from 100 cm. Trained as a single stem tree. Generally have good branch development. Most of these trees are capable of bearing nuts the first year. Preferred by growers who want strong trees and early crops. Cultivars available: Cosford, Hall's Giant, and Nottingham (Pearson's Prolific), Rode Zellernoot and Webbs Prize.

Five and six year barerooted trees 220 cm+ high. Generally trained as standards. Cultivars available: Cosford, Hall's Giant, Nottingham, Rode Zellernoot and Webbs.Trees generally too big to be shipped, collection only

*minimum quantity is 10 plants per variety

When to order

The trees are available for collection from mid/late November until early April, and for delivery late November-late March (no deliveries possible mid December to mid January). However to avoid disappointment, we recommend ordering your trees as early as possible, ideally by mid Autumn.

Advice for foreign customers

Parcel size is limited to 20kg and 1.5m in length. This equates to approx 15 3yr trees, providing they aren't too tall. Anything bigger/heavier we have to send by pallet crate, which is expensive so not really worth it for quantities of under 100 trees. We can get up to 250 3yr trees in a single pallet crate and up to 750 3yr trees in a double crate.

2yr trees are much lighter and smaller. We can fit approximately 60-70 trees in a 20kg parcel (possibly 80 trees if we spray wash the roots to reduce weight) and around 1200 trees in a single pallet crate. This is the most economical size of cobnuts to send abroad.

International orders can be despatched either late November - early December or during February/March, according to customers' preference.

Cultivars

Butler                                              
North American variety. Potentially heavy cropper but requires continental conditions to crop well. Large nuts. Vigorous growth but in Ireland ratherprone to disease. No longer stocked

Corabel                                               
French variety. Heavy cropper but may require good conditions to crop well. Good pollinator.Very tasty nuts.

Cosford                                              
Traditional variety. Very good pollinator for other species (should be considered essential planting in any cobnut orchard). Vigorous growth. Reliable performance in a wide variety of conditions. Highly recommended

Dutch EMOA 1
Recent Dutch cultivar performing well in trials in UK and the Netherlands. Good yields of large nuts. Recommended

Fertile de Coutard (syn. Barcelona)
Vigorous tree with female flowers appearing at a very young age. Has produced nuts on three year old trees at our site in Westport. Although grown mainly in France and Spain, appears adaptable to Irish conditions. Vulnerable to heavy frosts.

Gunslebert                                          
German variety. Rather intermittant cropper in Ireland. Good flavour.

Hall's Giant
Hardy, very vigorous and productive variety with large nuts. Good flavour. Probably the most vigorous of all the cobnuts listed here. Recommended

Kentish Cob
Traditionally grown in Kent but thought to be from France originally. Compact, hardy variety with exceptionally tasty nuts. Not a massive cropper and relatively slow to devevlop.

Lange Tidling Zeller
German cultivar. Heavy yields of small to medium sized nuts. Long attractive catkins.

Longue de Espagne
Compact tree suitable to smaller gardens. Early ripening.

Nottingham (Pearson's Prolific)
Early ripening and profilic cropper, with tasty nuts. Relatively vigorous grower in early years. Precocious, crops from third or fourth year. After Webbs, our favourite nut. Known to perform well in Ireland. Highly recommended

Rode Zellernoot
Vigorous and very attractive tree. Large nuts with very good flavour. Leaves and husks are bronze red. Recommended

Webb's Prize Cob
Large sweet nut, prolific cropper. Compact tree, good for small gardens. The favourite nut at Fruit and Nut. Quite slow in early years. Highly recommended

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