Summary
Evica Mratinić: Hazel
After the walnut, the hazelnut is the most important stone fruit. Although hazel is spread over a large area of the Earth, either as a forest stand or as a cultivated fruit tree, its production both in the world and in our country is in short supply. The largest producers of hazelnuts are: Turkey, (Black Sea coast), Italy, USA (Oregon state) and others.
The origin of hazelnuts (species from which today's varieties originate) is Europe, Cyprus, Asia Minor and Iran. Hazel is probably one of the oldest fruit trees, introduced into culture more than 2000 years ago. Even the ancient Greeks and Romans distinguished between wild and cultivated hazelnuts. In addition to the fact that the fruit of the hazelnut served as food for ancient peoples, the hazelnut was also considered a symbol of fertility, life and immortality. It is a long-lived fruit tree that can live for over 100 years. From Greece and Rome, hazelnuts slowly spread to other countries in Europe and the world. Today, the largest production of hazelnuts is realized in countries with a Mediterranean climate, where the conditions for its cultivation are very favorable.
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