The Best Nut Trees to Grow in Ireland
Hazel is the most reliable nut tree for Ireland: it's native, hardy and quick to crop. Cobnuts give bigger nuts from the same easy plant, sweet chestnut crops well in sunny, sheltered sites, and walnuts are a long-term investment for larger gardens. This guide compares the best nut trees for Irish and UK conditions, with time to first nuts, pollination and space needed for each.
Short on time? Start with Irish hazel. It's native, fully hardy, crops within a few years, and a small group of three or more pollinate each other.
Nut Trees for Ireland at a Glance
Irish hazel: nuts in about 3 to 5 years; up to 6 m; plant three or more
Cobnut: nuts in about 3 to 5 years; 4 to 6 m; plant with another hazel
Turkish hazel: a single-trunk tree of 10 to 15 m; small nuts in a hard shell
Sweet chestnut: nuts in about 5 to 10 years; 15 to 25 m; plant two
Walnut: nuts in about 10 to 15 years; 20 m or more; a long-term tree
Stone pine: pine nuts from cones that take several years to ripen; 10 to 12 m
1. Irish Hazel: The Best Place to Start
Irish hazel (Corylus avellana) is native, tough and one of the most useful trees you can plant. It grows as a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree up to 6 m, tolerates heavy soil and partial shade, and produces sweet hazelnuts in late summer. It also coppices well, giving you poles and pea sticks as well as nuts.
Hazels need a different hazel nearby for pollination, so plant them in groups of three or more, or as a hedge. Our guide to growing hazel from seed covers hazel's needs in more detail.
2. Cobnut: Bigger Nuts, Same Easy Plant
The cobnut tree (Corylus avellana 'Kentish Cob') is a selected hazel variety with larger, sweeter, buttery nuts and dependable yields. It grows to 4 to 6 m and has proven well suited to Ireland's climate. Plant it alongside Irish hazel so the two pollinate each other.
3. Turkish Hazel: A Hazel That Grows into a Tree
The Turkish hazel tree (Corylus colurna) forms a single trunk and a neat, pyramidal crown of 10 to 15 m, rather than the multi-stemmed shape of common hazel. Its nuts are small and hard-shelled, but it's wind-tolerant, long-lived and handsome, making it a good choice for avenues, boundaries and larger food forests.
4. Sweet Chestnut: For Sunny, Sheltered Sites
The sweet chestnut tree (Castanea sativa) has been planted on Irish estates for centuries and crops best in the sunnier south and east. It needs deep, well-drained, slightly acidic soil and plenty of room, eventually reaching 15 to 25 m. Chestnuts are largely self-sterile, so plant at least two trees. Expect your first nuts about 5 to 10 years after planting.
5. Walnuts: A Legacy Tree
Walnuts are the ultimate long-term planting, living for well over a century and growing to 20 m or more.
English walnut (Juglans regia): the classic eating walnut. Give it a sheltered site, as late spring frosts can damage the new growth and flowers.
Black walnut (Juglans nigra): hardy and vigorous, with strongly flavoured nuts and valuable timber. Mature trees begin bearing after roughly 10 to 15 years.
Walnut roots release juglone, a compound that holds back some nearby plants, so keep walnuts well away from vegetable beds.
6. Stone Pine: Pine Nuts in the Long Term
The stone pine tree (Pinus pinea) is an evergreen that develops a distinctive umbrella-shaped canopy of 10 to 12 m. Its cones take several years to ripen and yield edible pine nuts. It prefers a sheltered, sunny site in Ireland's cooler climate, so treat it as a patient, long-term addition.
Protecting Your Crop from Squirrels
Grey squirrels are the biggest threat to nut harvests in Ireland and the UK, often stripping hazels before the nuts are fully ripe. Planting generously, in a hedge or group, means there's enough to share. Pick hazelnuts as soon as the husks start to turn yellow-brown, and let them finish ripening indoors.
How to Choose the Right Nut Tree
Small or medium garden: Irish hazel or cobnut.
Hedge or wildlife planting: Irish hazel, planted in a row.
Large garden with a sunny, sheltered spot: a pair of sweet chestnuts.
Long-term legacy planting: English or black walnut.
Food forest canopy: chestnut or walnut, with hazels planted beneath.
When to Plant Nut Trees
Plant nut trees in the bare-root season, from November to March, while they're dormant. Choose a sunny spot, avoid waterlogged ground, and keep grass away from the base for the first few years. Our guide on how to plant a fruit tree applies to nut trees too, and our guide to starting a food forest shows how to layer nut trees with fruit and shrubs.
FAQ: Nut Trees for Ireland
What nut trees grow well in Ireland?
Hazel is the most reliable nut tree for Ireland, followed by cobnut, a larger-nutted hazel variety. Sweet chestnut crops well in sunny, sheltered sites, especially in the south and east. Walnuts grow well in sheltered gardens but take longer to crop. All are hardy and suit Irish soils and weather.
How long does a hazel tree take to produce nuts?
A young hazel usually produces its first nuts about 3 to 5 years after planting, with crops increasing as the plant matures. Hazels need another hazel nearby for pollination, so plant three or more together, or add a cobnut alongside Irish hazel. A sunny spot gives heavier crops than deep shade.
Can you grow walnuts in Ireland?
Yes. English walnut and black walnut both grow in Ireland, but they are long-term trees that take roughly 10 to 15 years to start cropping. Plant them in a sheltered, sunny site, as late spring frosts can damage new growth and flowers. Allow plenty of space, as both grow to 20 m or more.
Do nut trees need a pollinator?
Most do. Hazels, cobnuts and sweet chestnuts all need a different tree of the same kind nearby to produce a good crop, so plant them in pairs or groups. Walnuts can crop alone but usually do better with a second tree. Planting more than one tree is the simplest way to get reliable harvests.
Plant Your Nut Trees This Winter
Bare-root season opens in November, the best time to plant nut trees. Start with a group of Irish hazels, add a cobnut for bigger nuts, or plant a pair of chestnuts if you have room. Browse all our nut trees at Earthling Plants; orders over €150 ship free.
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