McDonald Hazelnut Tree was introduced at the 99th annual Nut Growers Society Meeting in 2014. The new cultivar is named after Peter McDonald, a renowned grower from Wilsonville, Oregon.
The McDonald tree is very disease resistant and aimed at the kernel market filling nearly 51% of its shell compared to Barcelona at 42%. The tree’s crop matures two weeks earlier and is grower friendly in terms of size. It also has a 1% incidence of mold, which compared to other trees is much lower.
A farmers advisory committee that evaluated McDonald said it was “consistently productive with consistent quality”, making McDonald one of the most popular varieties planted throughout the Willamette Valley.
Latin Name: Corylus avellana
Site and Soil: Filberts like 1/2 day to full sun and well-drained soil.
Pollination Requirements: Plant with Jefferson, Eta and Theta for cross-pollination.
Hardiness: Filbert trees are hardy to minus 25° F. Flowers are hardy to approx. minus 15° F.
Bearing Age: 2-3 years after planting
Size at Maturity: 8-12 ft. in height
Bloom Time: Winter and spring
Ripening Time: September
Yield: 20+ lbs.
Pests & Diseases: McDonald Hazelnut Tree is immune to Eastern Filbert Blight. Filbert worm can damage nuts of all Filbert varieties. Also, very resistant to mold as well.
USDA Zone: 5