Nut producing shrub

Native Hunter

Well-Known Member
No one ever even mentions these nut-producing, native shrubs. The also make excellent screens. I guess no love for them.

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still no love. 5*/6 users, in comparisom, sycamore 2*/4 users. users for witch hazel are; grouse, turkey/seeds; beaver, rabbit, squirel/bark, seeds, foliage; deer /browse, 2* in new york. It is a common plant in my ditch.

G
 
I appreciate the shrub suggestion. I'm just in year two of my habitat so I'm always looking for new trees/shrubs to add to my habitat. I googled this one and seems were talking about the American witchhazel? This one is interesting for me do the size and screening ability

"American witchhazel is a shrub or small tree with arching branches generally growing as a dense, multi-stemmed clump reaching heights of 20 to 30 feet and widths of 15 to 20 feet, however the shrub form typically does not grow over 12 to 15 feet tall."


Cage it the first few years?
 
I appreciate the shrub suggestion. I'm just in year two of my habitat so I'm always looking for new trees/shrubs to add to my habitat. I googled this one and seems were talking about the American witchhazel? This one is interesting for me do the size and screening ability

"American witchhazel is a shrub or small tree with arching branches generally growing as a dense, multi-stemmed clump reaching heights of 20 to 30 feet and widths of 15 to 20 feet, however the shrub form typically does not grow over 12 to 15 feet tall."


Cage it the first few years?

Yes, that's it. You may or may not need to cage depending on your deer numbers. It's not a high preference browse in my area, but good for screening and nut production.
 
Native Hunter,

Do you grow it from seed? Do cuttings do well with trying to start it?
 
Native Hunter,

Do you grow it from seed? Do cuttings do well with trying to start it?

Wayne, I planted some seedlings to begin with, and now I find some volunteers coming up from seed. I've dug up and moved several of them to places where I wanted new ones to grow. However, you won't find many volunteers, because I think that the birds and other critters end up finding most of the seed. Unlike hazelnut, this is a shrub that suckers from the roots very little, so layering is not a good way to propagate it. I'm not sure about cuttings, because I've never tried that.

Let me tell you a story about the seeds. I had never researched this shrub much, and I didn't know that the seed are expelled from the husks with a significant force when they ripen. I have heard that they can fly 20 feet or more. When I got my first crop of seed, I picked a bunch while they were still green, and laid them on a table in my basement. A few days later I walked into the basement, and the nuts were scattered everywhere in the room. I thought a bunch of mice had found a way to get into my house. Then, after a little research I realized what had happened. The seed had shot out sometime after I had placed them on the table.

PS - I found this link for you that talks about propagation from cuttings:
Witch Hazel | Home & Garden Information Center (clemson.edu)
 
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