Corabel Hazelnut

Description

Corabel Hazelnut

The Corabel hazelnut ( Corylus avellana ‘Corabel’), also called Fercoril-Corabel®, is an exceptional variety obtained by INRA from a natural seedling of ‘Fertile de Coutard’. Since the 1990s, this variety has established itself as the most planted variety in France for the production of table hazelnuts, thanks to its remarkable qualities.

This French variety is distinguished by its exceptional productivity and the superior quality of its fruit. Particularly suitable for home gardens as well as professional orchards, it combines robustness, ease of cultivation and excellent taste.

Characteristics of the fruit

Corabel hazelnuts are among the largest in France, with a remarkable size and a characteristic elongated shape. These exceptional fruits are distinguished by their homogeneity and superior taste quality.

The almond is characterized by its firm and crisp flesh, of an immaculate ivory-white, with a subtly sweet and well-perfumed taste. Its well-filled shell guarantees an excellent yield, superior to many other large-bore varieties such as ‘Ennis’.

Tree Features

The Corabel hazelnut develops a vigorous semi-erect habit, reaching 3 to 4 metres in height at maturity. Its deciduous foliage consists of large, heart-shaped leaves of 6 to 10 cm, of a decorative medium green that is adorned with magnificent golden yellow hues in autumn.

This shrub has the advantage of producing few suckers thanks to specialized propagation techniques, allowing for low-stem or high-stem tree-like cultivation depending on preference. Its vigorous growth ensures rapid fruiting and sustained productivity.

Pollination and fruiting

⚠️ Warning: The Corabel hazelnut is self-incompatible and imperatively requires the presence of a pollinating variety to fruit effectively.

Recommended pollinator varieties:

• Bollwiller’s wonder (reference pollinator)
• Butler
• Ségorbe
• Jemtegaard 5

Its late flowering in February-March is a major asset, escaping early frosts that can compromise the fruiting of other varieties. The decorative yellow male catkins appear before the foliage, while the inconspicuous female flowers have reddish stigmas.

Resistance and hardiness

The Corabel hazelnut tree is distinguished by its remarkable resistance to diseases and pests. It has excellent tolerance to hazelnut mite and bacteriosis, two major problems of this crop.

🌡️ Hardiness: Very high (down to -20°C)
🦠 Resistances: Phytopte, bacteriosis
❄️ Adaptation: Particularly suitable for cold regions
🌿 Vigour: Very vigorous with rapid fruit setting

Cultivation and maintenance

The Corabel hazelnut adapts to most soils, even limestone, as long as they are fertile and well-drained. It only fears soils that are too wet or too acidic, which can compromise its productivity.

🌞 Aspect: Sun in partial shade
🌱 Soil: Fertile, drained, even limestone
💧 Watering: Moderate, avoid excess moisture
✂️ Size: End of winter, thinning of the centre

A spacing of 3 to 5 meters between plants allows optimal development. Pruning, carried out at the end of winter, mainly consists of thinning the centre of the shrub to promote sunlight and eliminate weak shoots.

Harvesting and Use

The harvest takes place from the end of September to the beginning of October, after the variety ‘Fertile de Coutard’. This late maturity makes it possible to spread out the harvest period in a diversified orchard.

Maturity Indices:

• Hazelnuts of uniform brown-brown colour
• Easy detachment of the involucre
• Natural fall to the ground for some fruits

Storage and use: Corabel hazelnuts can be kept for several months in a dry and cool place. Excellent fresh eaten, they are perfect for storage, baking, confectionery and all the traditional culinary uses of hazelnuts.

Advantages of this variety

🌰 Exceptional size : among the largest hazelnuts in France
🌰 Superior taste quality : firm, sweet and fragrant flesh
🌰 High productivity : fast fruit setting and sustained yield
🌰 Natural resistance to major diseases
🌰 Late flowering escaping early frosts
🌰 Versatility of use : fresh consumption and storage

The Corabel hazelnut tree is the reference choice for any hazelnut lover wishing to combine quality, productivity and ease of cultivation. Its established reputation among professionals makes it a safe bet for allotment gardens.

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