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Can you grow hazelnuts in a temperate or subtropical area eg. Sydney?

When I asked the local plant shop, they looked at me like I was mad & muttered something about hazelnuts needing a cooler climate. Is this true?

Could you suggest any other nut tree/bush I could put in a pot here?
(Oh, it can't be peanuts as I have a little kid & she's not allowed peanuts yet!)

Hi Red Swirl,
What about an almond tree? They have them for sale here in France so they are obviously used to warmer weather.

Hi chadspad,

I had a think about almonds, I love eating them ...
A big grower/wholesaler here reckoned an almond wouldn't do ok in a pot 'tho - what do you reckon?

DO you find most nurseries try to discourage you from buying fruit/nut trees? That's sorta been my experience so far. Maybe the problem is I try to ask for information, rather than just fronting up to the counter with a few pots of bright flowers!

Hi again,

Wouldnt it be possible to put it in a huge pot? There are olive trees over here that are ginormous and they live in pots. We have very poor ground right outside my house so everything is in pots - clematis, passion flower, banana tree, lemon tree, grapefruit tree, all my shrubs that should be in the ground - all are doing well. Fig trees prefer to be in pots. Might be worth a go?

What about macadamia nuts? I have no idea if they grow on a bush or a big tree, but they do grow in Australia!

Mmmm, yep, a macadamia tree would be beautiful .. but I think they grow 10 meters or more.

Maybe someone will breed a dwalf macadamia oneday?

I don't think there's been much work on breeding / selecting cultivars for Australian nuts & fruits (except macadamias, but that was in Hawaii & perhaps lillipillis)

Oooops, found the answer to me own question:

http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1664907.htm

Now, where to buy?