Hazelnut Conical

Conical — a late-maturing hazelnut (Corylus) variety developed at the Kharkiv Research Institute of Agro-forestry Soil Improvement in Ukraine and introduced in 1967. The breeder of the variety is F.A. Pavlenko. The bush of this variety is vigorous, with a medium-dense pyramidal crown, reaching up to 6 meters in height and about 4 meters in diameter. Main branches are compactly arranged and branch off the trunk at a sharp angle. Medium-thickness shoots are straight, grayish, covered with scales, with ovate buds. Leaves are large, elongated-oval, green, with smooth surfaces and slightly hairy undersides. Female flowers are grouped in inflorescences of 6–8 flowers with bright burgundy stigmas, flowering lasts 2–3 weeks and begins in January–February depending on the climatic zone. Male flowers form spikes up to 10 cm long, with less prolonged flowering.

The fruits of the Conical variety are large, round, slightly pointed at the apex and elongated ribbed base. Nuts are grouped in clusters of 2–8, with light brown shells of medium thickness (about 1.2 mm) and weakly ribbed. The kernel is dense, fills the shell well and accounts for about 48% of the nut's weight, weighing 1.3–1.5 grams. The kernel contains 67% fat and 18% protein. Nuts ripen late, and the harvestable maturity occurs at the end of August to early September. Fruits can be stored for up to three years without loss of quality.

The variety is characterized by high yield and rapid fruiting, with yields reaching 1.2–1.3 tons of dry nuts per hectare. Conical demonstrates resistance to frost, drought, and pests such as hazelnut weevil, bud mite, and weevil. Among the advantages of the variety are stable fruiting and high nut quality. Its drawbacks include high suckering tendency and vigorous pyramidal crown shape. Successful hazelnut cultivation requires consideration of its monoecious, dioecious, wind-pollinated nature, ensuring cross-pollination and selecting appropriate pollinator varieties, as well as implementing frost protection measures and following agronomic practices.