Harvesting Beaked Hazelnut

Wildcrafted Beaked Hazelnut

I almost always forget about harvesting the Beaked Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta) until it’s too late. With the pandemic keeping me at home this summer I actually managed to beat the birds and squirrels to some of the nuts on our property. Now is a good time to take a basket and go in search of this easily wildcrafted native edible.

Here’s what the shrubs look like. They are typically found as a clumpy growth from 4-10ft tall.

Corylus cornuta var. Californica

Let them dry and then rub off the husks to use.

I’ll look for a recipe to post later to give an example of a way they could be integrated into your meals this fall.