Are there any nuts growing in Finnish forests?
Yes! The common hazel is a species found in warm, sheltered and nutrient-rich hillside herb-rich forests primarily on the south-western coast of Finland. Common hazels are easy to identify by their upright shape, their tendency to grow 10–20 closely clumped trunks and their hairy and soft leaves.
The nuts of the common hazel, hazelnuts, are edible and were commonly used as a food in the past. Nowadays the hazelnuts found on store shelves are from a close relative of the common hazel, whereas the hazelnuts produced by common hazels are enjoyed by squirrels, forest mice, jays and nutcrackers. In fact, the autumn hazel harvest is a busy season for these species, which also spread the common hazel to new growth sites.
The common hazel is wind-pollinated. It flowers in the early spring, in March–April, before sprouting leaves. This allows the pollen to more easily fly from the stamens to the carpels. The stamens are approximately 5 cm long, yellowish catkins The carpels are small, red tufts less than 5 mm in length. Common hazel pollen causes allergic symptoms in some people.
