| The modern name for filberts has evolved from | | | | mature, the nuts turn a chocolate brown; however, the |
| European folklore. The original name was connected | | | | filberts (hazelnuts) are not released from the hull until 6 |
| with Saint Philbert's Day (Saint Filbert), the day that | | | | weeks later, after drying. The nuts may grow in |
| harvesting the nuts began, August 22nd, the day of | | | | clusters up to 12 nuts, about the size of acorns, and |
| observing the Saint's day of celebration. The famous | | | | are usually mature during the last week of August, |
| Roman historian, Pliny, recorded that 'hazels' (filberts) | | | | being collected during the last of September. Although |
| were frequently gathered by the Romans as food. | | | | filberts are gathered by hand in Europe for commercial |
| Pliny believed that filberts (hazelnuts) had originated in | | | | markets, they are gathered mechanically in nut |
| Damascus, Syria, where they grew naturally in forests; | | | | orchards of Washington State and Oregon in the |
| however, archeological records have shown some | | | | United States. |
| fossilized remains of filberts (hazelnuts) that were | | | | American filberts, 'Corylus Americana Walt.,' were |
| 5000 years old in prehistoric excavations from China. | | | | described in historical literature as growing among |
| Almonds are found growing wild today in many | | | | native forests in bush form, although commercially the |
| European countries and Asia Minor. There, the climates | | | | plant can be formed into a small tree up to 12 feet tall |
| are mild during winter with cool summers near moist | | | | by removing the lower limbs. This filbert tree is very |
| soils and large bodies of water like the Black Sea | | | | cold hardy, surviving cold extremes down to minus 30 |
| boundaries around Turkey and near the Mediterranean | | | | degrees F; Zone 3 to 9, from a range that extends |
| Sea surrounding Sicily and Italy. | | | | from Maine south to Georgia and westward to |
| The first commercial nursery in the U.S. was | | | | Missouri and Oklahoma. The American filbert (hazelnut) |
| established by Robert Prince in 1737 in Flushing, N.Y. | | | | tree is commonly propagated by dividing clumps. This |
| George Washington visited this nursery by river barge | | | | filbert tree is very aggressive and can emerge from |
| in the spring of 1789 just after being elected the | | | | severely burned over forests to become reestablished |
| nation's first President. During the Revolutionary War, | | | | from the very woody, large rhizomes that grow about |
| General Washington sent armed guards to surround | | | | six inches beneath the soil; the American filbert is very |
| and protect this valuable nursery that contained | | | | shade tolerant and grows in light intensity as low as 1% |
| American filbert trees and "Barcelona" filbert trees that | | | | along streams, woodlands, pastures, roadsides, and |
| were imported from Spain. When Lewis and Clark | | | | forest edges. The tree can produce nuts as early as |
| conducted their exploration of the Northwest during the | | | | the second year. Filberts are eaten by mammals, quail, |
| presidency of Thomas Jefferson, they returned with | | | | deer, and large birds. The kernels of filberts are used in |
| collected specimen plants to be used as nursery stock | | | | cereals, confections, candies, cakes, and canned as |
| at Prince Nursery for propagation, research, and sale. | | | | pure hazelnuts or mixed nuts for sale at Halloween, |
| Professor of Horticulture and Pomology, Dr. | | | | Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Filbert hazelnuts are also |
| MacDaniels, of Cornell University, did much filbert | | | | used to flavor soups, to be eaten raw or to be ground |
| hazelnut research at a very large nut orchard that he | | | | into a flour to form a cake like bread. |
| established early during the last century near Ithaca, | | | | One report from the University of Georgia farm claims |
| New York. | | | | that filberts (hazelnuts) have matured on plants that |
| Filberts are alleged to conjure up mystical powers by | | | | are located there at the trial orchard. |
| certain cult members and have been thought since | | | | World production of filbert hazelnuts is dominated by |
| ancient times to be used as 'divining rods' to locate | | | | Europe and the Mideast; 75-80% of the world's nuts |
| underground springheads of water, buried treasure, | | | | are harvested from orchards near the Black sea, |
| minerals, ores, and as various remedies for illness and | | | | bordering Turkey. Another 15% of filberts are |
| ailments of many kinds. | | | | produced from Italy and Sicily, and a 2% share of the |
| The European filbert (hazelnut) tree, 'Corylus avellana | | | | market comes from Washington State and Oregon. |
| L.,' is the world's most common and commercially | | | | As a health concern, many people need to reduce |
| advantageous filbert that is familiar and available to | | | | their risk for heart disease. The FDA claimed |
| markets of today. This European filbert tree grows to | | | | "consuming just 1.5 ounces of hazelnuts per day may |
| 20 feet in orchards when trained into a tree by | | | | help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease" as part |
| removing the lower limbs. Orchardists there expect | | | | of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Doctors |
| filbert trees to bear after three years of planting and a | | | | have proven at a Boston, MA hospital health study |
| mature tree averages 20-25 pounds of nuts per year. | | | | that states, "men who consumed nuts twice or more in |
| Two different trees are necessary to insure nut | | | | a week had a 47% lower risk of sudden cardiac |
| production through cross pollination. | | | | (heart attack) death, and 30% lower risk of coronary |
| The developing nuts are green in color, but when | | | | heart disease death. |