Elite Hazel Tubelings Available NOW -

1,200 Elite Genetics Hazelnut Tubelings

Available NOW - First Come First Served-

We have a new supplier of hazel tubelings this year; and they have 1,200 unique tubelings ready for planting.

These are NOT tubelings from Badgersett’s catalog, and are not included in our calculations of supply and the shipping queue; the plants are in Illinois, and have been grown in the greenhouse of the NW Illinois grower.  They belong to the grower, and the money goes to them; Badgersett is just acting as the connection here. 

It is hard to emphasize enough how very special the genetics of these hazels are.  

First: Each bush for seed was personally selected by Philip Rutter; on site, at harvest.  The parents are the best of the best; in most cases based on multiple years of crop behavior; Philip has been part of the harvest crew there almost every year. 

Second: This planting is from the most advanced genetics available when it was planted; genetics again selected by Philip Rutter. This planting is isolated from other neohybrid hazel plantings- therefore the pollen cloud that produces the nuts is also select.  Tubelings from Badgersett will sometimes be pollinated by plants from earlier cycles- since all exist there simultaneously, for continuous research purposes.  That’s not a bad thing for research and genetic progress; but it does make the seedlings a little less predictable for production purposes.

These tubelings come from the most reliable parent lines available.  They are primarily Cycle 3 Expansion genetics, with some Cycle 2 Elite plants included.

Third: These tubelings come from the same genetic collection that is now being planted both at Badgersett and at Open Source Ecology’s Missouri farm as the next step in development of neohybrid hazel crop genetics.  Badgersett has not made a large hazel planting for some years, as data was inadequate to provide good selection criteria.  That selection is now possible - and this is IT.

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785 of these tubelings come from parentage that is “Short-statured; Machinable”.  

Some of the test plantings with these genetics were “breeding true” for these characteristics at VERY high heritability rates: short stature- 94%; heavy crop - 60%; annual crop - 75%.  We can NOT guarantee these tubelings will perform with the same consistency; since the pollen cloud is different; but the high consistency of the female parent is very significant, typically an excellent predictor.

420 are from the other well differentiated group of “Tall-statured; Hand Harvest”.  

These are hazels that tend towards the growth habit of pure European hazels, with heavier wood and taller plants that make machine harvest with the current pickers difficult when the bushes get older.  They get tall and heavy quickly after coppice, also.  We are making a major planting of this type at Badgersett this year, with the specific intention of managing the plants with sheep to prepare for harvest by traditional methods.  Heritability of all characteristics for this group is lower- tall stature - 60%; heavy crop 40%; annual crop 40%.

For all these hazels, EFB resistance and cold hardiness in zone 4 are “fixed” genetically; inherited at over 95%; Big Bud Mite is well established in the Illinois fields, and seed is selected only from plants little affected, for multiple years.  The trunk-borer data are less clear yet, but badly affected plants are never selected for seed; and some very resistant plants do exist. 

Orders and payment are through Badgersett; email orders@badgersett.com.

Prices: Super Elite hazels; $8.50 per plant; 100 plants or more $8.10

Delivery: arranged with grower; pick-up only.  We’ll put you in touch.

These won’t last long- order now!