Plan compatible pollination partners, compare varieties, and understand flowering compatibility for apples, pears, plums, blueberries, cherries, and more.
Step 1
Choose a fruit type
Start here. The helper uses different rules for apples, plums, blueberries, kiwis, and other fruit groups.
41 options available.
Type to narrow the list.
Selected fruit
Hazelnut
21 tracked varieties
Hazelnuts are wind-pollinated and self-incompatible. Two varieties with overlapping catkin shed and no shared dominant S-alleles are required for any crop. Even bloom-matched varieties can fail to pollinate each other if they share S-alleles - known incompatible pairs are flagged here. Most European OSU varieties carry resistance to Eastern Filbert Blight (EFB); traditional varieties like Barcelona and Ennis are susceptible and should be paired with resistant cultivars where EFB is present.
Plant hazelnut companions within 50 to 100 feet. Wind carries pollen beyond that range in open sites, but closer is more reliable.
Step 2
Choose what you want to check
Current goal
Single variety
Choose one variety and Willowbottom will show the best pollination partners.
Step 3
Choose your variety
Choose one variety to see the strongest pollination partners.
21 options available.
Type to narrow the list.
Optional direct pair check.
20 options available.
Type to narrow the list.
Used to sort matches and flag climate cautions.
Pick a variety first, then scroll to Step 4 for ranked partners, warnings, and the optional pair check.
Step 4
See recommendations
Selected variety
Felix
Hazelnut
Mid bloom - late bloom
Needs another compatible varietyPartner guidance included
Bloom timing
Bloom group late - late bloom.
What to do
Hazelnuts are self-incompatible and wind-pollinated. Two S-allele-compatible varieties with overlapping catkin bloom are required for any crop - matching bloom timing alone is not enough if the S-alleles clash.
About this variety
Felix is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and medium fruit. Choose it for serving as the earliest of Jefferson's three recommended pollinizers; pairs well with Dorris as well, but skip it if you want a premium standalone eating hazelnut - Felix is chosen for pollination timing over nut quality. It usually ripens around early October.
This shows compatible pollinators. Choose based on flavor and harvest timing.
Usually grown in USDA zones 5-8.
Felix needs another compatible variety nearby to set fruit. Hazelnuts are self-incompatible and wind-pollinated. Two S-allele-compatible varieties with overlapping catkin bloom are required for any crop - matching bloom timing alone is not enough if the S-alleles clash. It flowers in late bloom, so a partner has to be flowering at the same time to be any use. Usually grown in USDA zones 5-8.
No single variety stands out as the obvious partner, but that is not a problem here: Delta, Ennis, Epsilon, Eta, and Hall's Giant all bloom close enough to work. There are 8 more in the list below. Pick whichever your nursery actually carries. Plant hazelnut companions within 50 to 100 feet. Wind carries pollen beyond that range in open sites, but closer is more reliable.
One thing to keep in mind. Hazelnut self-incompatibility is governed by S-alleles. Two varieties that share dominant S-alleles cannot cross-pollinate each other even when bloom timing overlaps. Known incompatible pairs are flagged in this tool - verify S-allele compatibility for any unlisted pairing.
To put that into practice: at a minimum, two hazelnut varieties confirmed to be S-allele compatible with overlapping catkin bloom. Better still, three varieties covering early, mid, and late bloom so pollen is available throughout the full female-flower receptive window. If an existing hazelnut produces no nuts despite flowering, the most common cause is an S-allele-mismatched companion. Replace or add a confirmed compatible variety.
Good backups
These are still useful choices when the very best option is not available at your nursery.
Delta
Same fruit type
Mid bloom - late bloom
Good backup
Blooms in the same window. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownSame bloom window
Why choose this?
Delta is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the latest ripening choices. Choose it for mid-to-late pollinizer for Lewis and Clark; OSU EFB-resistant pollinizer release, but skip it if you want a premium eating-quality nut - Delta is a dedicated pollinizer release chosen for pollen timing, not nut flavor or size. It usually ripens around early October, later than most of the others shown.
Ennis
Same fruit type
Mid bloom - late bloom
Good backup
Blooms in the same window. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownSame bloom window
Why choose this?
Ennis is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and very large fruit. In this group, this is one of the richest-tasting options. Choose it for gourmet eating, premium confectionery, and orchards in EFB-free regions where maximum nut size is the goal, but skip it if you want EFB resistance - Ennis is highly susceptible to Eastern Filbert Blight and will decline badly in any region where the disease is established. It usually ripens around early October, later than most of the others shown.
Epsilon
Same fruit type
Mid bloom - late bloom
Good backup
Blooms in the same window. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownSame bloom window
Why choose this?
Epsilon is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the latest ripening choices. Choose it for late pollinizer covering the mid-through-late female bloom of Lewis and Clark; OSU EFB-resistant pollinizer release, but skip it if you want a premium eating-quality nut - Epsilon is a dedicated pollinizer release chosen for pollen timing, not nut flavor or size. It usually ripens around early October, later than most of the others shown.
Eta
Same fruit type
Mid bloom - late bloom
Good backup
Blooms in the same window. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownSame bloom window
Why choose this?
Eta is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the latest ripening choices. Choose it for mid-to-late pollinizer for Jefferson; one of the three OSU-recommended companions for Jefferson alongside Theta and Felix, but skip it if you want an eating-first variety - Eta is selected for its late pollen timing rather than for nut quality. It usually ripens around early October, later than most of the others shown.
Hall's Giant
Same fruit type
Mid bloom - late bloom
Good backup
Blooms in the same window. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownSame bloom window
Why choose this?
Hall's Giant is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and large fruit. In this group, it is one of the latest ripening choices. Choose it for late pollinizer for Ennis and Jefferson; also produces a respectable eating crop in EFB-free orchards, but skip it if you want planting where EFB is present - Hall's Giant lacks the resistance of OSU varieties. It usually ripens around early October, later than most of the others shown.
Jefferson
Same fruit type
Mid bloom - late bloom
Good backup
Blooms in the same window. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownSame bloom window
Why choose this?
Jefferson is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and large fruit. In this group, this is one of the richest-tasting options. Choose it for premium home orchards, roasting, and confectionery where both EFB resistance and top eating quality matter, but skip it if you want to skip pollinizer research - Jefferson requires late-shedding companions (Eta, Theta, or Felix) and York cannot pollinate it due to a shared S-allele; the wrong pairing produces almost nothing. It usually ripens around early October, later than most of the others shown.
Dorris
Same fruit type
Mid bloom - mid bloom
Good backup
Blooms close enough to overlap in many home plantings. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownNearby bloom window
Why choose this?
Dorris is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the earliest ripening choices. Choose it for smaller home orchards where a compact EFB-resistant tree is needed; pairs with York or Felix, but skip it if you want large-scale planting or the biggest nuts - Dorris is compact and reliable rather than a high-volume commercial producer. It usually ripens around mid September, earlier than most of the others shown.
Gamma
Same fruit type
Mid bloom - mid bloom
Good backup
Blooms close enough to overlap in many home plantings. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownNearby bloom window
Why choose this?
Gamma is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the earliest ripening choices. Choose it for serving as the primary pollinizer for Yamhill; OSU EFB-resistant pollinizer release, but skip it if you want an eating-first hazelnut - Gamma is a dedicated pollinizer release and not selected for premium eating quality. It usually ripens around mid September, earlier than most of the others shown.
Grand Traverse
Same fruit type
Mid bloom - mid bloom
Good backup
Blooms close enough to overlap in many home plantings. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownNearby bloom window
Why choose this?
Grand Traverse is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the earliest ripening choices. Choose it for eastern home orchards as a near-universal pollinizer; S11 and S25 alleles make it broadly compatible with most EFB-resistant varieties including The Beast, but skip it if you want a large, heavy-bearing fruiting tree - Grand Traverse's primary role is pollination; it bears nuts but is less productive than Jefferson or Yamhill as a fruiting selection. It usually ripens around mid September, earlier than most of the others shown.
Lewis
Same fruit type
Mid bloom - mid bloom
Good backup
Blooms close enough to overlap in many home plantings. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownNearby bloom window
Why choose this?
Lewis is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the earliest ripening choices. Choose it for EFB-resistant home orchards where mild flavor and reliable crops matter more than bold taste; do not pair with Clark (incompatible S-alleles), but skip it if you want the most intense or complex hazelnut flavor - Lewis is reliably mild rather than richly flavored. It usually ripens around mid September, earlier than most of the others shown.
Theta
Same fruit type
Late bloom - very late bloom
Good backup
Blooms close enough to overlap in many home plantings. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownNearby bloom window
Why choose this?
Theta is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the latest ripening choices. Choose it for serving as the latest-pollen-shedding OSU release, essential for reliably pollinating Jefferson when its female receptivity extends late in the season, but skip it if you want a premium eating-quality nut rather than a dedicated pollinizer - Theta exists solely to fill Jefferson's late pollination window and is not selected for flavor or size. It usually ripens around early October, later than most of the others shown.
Wepster
Same fruit type
Mid bloom - mid bloom
Good backup
Blooms close enough to overlap in many home plantings. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownNearby bloom window
Why choose this?
Wepster is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the earliest ripening choices. Choose it for EFB-resistant home orchards; pairs well with McDonald and York, but skip it if you want extensively documented S-allele compatibility data - Wepster's specific incompatibilities are less published than Jefferson, York, or Lewis. It usually ripens around mid September, earlier than most of the others shown.
York
Same fruit type
Mid bloom - mid bloom
Good backup
Blooms close enough to overlap in many home plantings. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownNearby bloom window
Why choose this?
York is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the earliest ripening choices. Choose it for EFB-resistant home orchards as a reliable mid-season producer and general pollinizer; avoid pairing with Jefferson (shared S-allele), but skip it if you want to pollinate Jefferson - York and Jefferson share an S-allele and cannot cross-pollinate each other; use Eta, Theta, or Felix for Jefferson instead. It usually ripens around mid September, earlier than most of the others shown.
Avoid
These are poor bets to rely on for this variety.
Barcelona
Same fruit type
Early bloom - early bloom
Avoid
Bloom timing is not a strong match. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownWeak bloom overlap
Bloom timing looks too far apart.
Why choose this?
Barcelona is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and large fruit. In this group, this is one of the richest-tasting options. Choose it for traditional hazelnut orchards, roasting, chocolate pairing, and home gardens in EFB-free regions, but skip it if you want EFB resistance - Barcelona is highly susceptible to Eastern Filbert Blight and will decline in any planting where the disease is present. It usually ripens around late August to early September, in the middle of this group.
Butler
Same fruit type
Early bloom - early bloom
Avoid
Bloom timing is not a strong match. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownWeak bloom overlap
Bloom timing looks too far apart.
Why choose this?
Butler is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and medium fruit. Choose it for serving as a pollinizer for Barcelona and Ennis in traditional orchards, but skip it if you want a premium eating hazelnut - Butler is grown primarily for its pollination value rather than nut quality. It usually ripens around late August to early September, in the middle of this group.
Casina
Same fruit type
Early bloom - early bloom
Avoid
Bloom timing is not a strong match. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownWeak bloom overlap
Bloom timing looks too far apart.
Why choose this?
Casina is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and large fruit. In this group, it gives some of the largest fruit and feels more substantial than most of the others shown. Choose it for confectionery, premium roasting, and orchards in EFB-free regions where nut quality is the top priority, but skip it if you want planting where EFB is present, or confirmed bloom timing data - Casina is susceptible to EFB and its bloom timing varies enough across sources that local verification is recommended. It usually ripens around late August to early September, in the middle of this group.
Clark
Same fruit type
Early bloom - early bloom
Avoid
Bloom timing is not a strong match. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownWeak bloom overlap
Bloom timing looks too far apart.
Why choose this?
Clark is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and small fruit. Choose it for high-volume home harvests and orchards where early nut drop makes collection easier, but skip it if you want the largest possible nut - Clark is one of the smallest-nutted OSU varieties; pair Lewis with something other than Clark since they share incompatible S-alleles. It usually ripens around late August to early September, in the middle of this group.
Daviana
Same fruit type
Early bloom - very early bloom
Avoid
Bloom timing is not a strong match. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownWeak bloom overlap
Bloom timing looks too far apart.
Why choose this?
Daviana is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and medium fruit. Choose it for pollinizer for Barcelona in EFB-free orchards; not recommended where Eastern Filbert Blight is present, but skip it if you want any planting where EFB is a risk - Daviana is highly susceptible and has been largely replaced by resistant alternatives like Gamma and Eta. It usually ripens around late August to early September, in the middle of this group.
The Beast
Same fruit type
Early bloom - early bloom
Avoid
Bloom timing is not a strong match. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownWeak bloom overlap
Bloom timing looks too far apart.
Why choose this?
The Beast is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and large fruit. In this group, it gives some of the largest fruit and feels more substantial than most of the others shown. Choose it for eastern and midwestern home orchards where EFB is present and a large productive hybrid tree is needed, but skip it if you want a compact tree that fits a smaller yard - The Beast grows into a substantial tree reaching 20 ft and needs room; Grand Traverse is the better choice for tighter spaces. It usually ripens around late August to early September, in the middle of this group.
Yamhill
Same fruit type
Early bloom - very early bloom
Avoid
Bloom timing is not a strong match. Zone fit is unknown or not a major tie-breaker here.
Zone unknownWeak bloom overlap
Bloom timing looks too far apart.
Why choose this?
Yamhill is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with medium-firm flesh and medium fruit. Choose it for fresh cracking, roasting, and home orchards where EFB-resistant early varieties are the priority, but skip it if you want the largest possible nut - Yamhill produces reliably but not as large as Ennis or Hall's Giant. It usually ripens around late August to early September, in the middle of this group.
Minimum planting guidance
Use the minimum, ideal, and fallback plan to size the planting to your space and goals.
Minimum setup
Two hazelnut varieties confirmed to be S-allele compatible with overlapping catkin bloom.
Ideal setup
Three varieties covering early, mid, and late bloom so pollen is available throughout the full female-flower receptive window.
Fallback plan
If an existing hazelnut produces no nuts despite flowering, the most common cause is an S-allele-mismatched companion. Replace or add a confirmed compatible variety.
Important notes
These notes keep the key cautions and practical details easy to scan.
Warnings
Hazelnut self-incompatibility is governed by S-alleles. Two varieties that share dominant S-alleles cannot cross-pollinate each other even when bloom timing overlaps. Known incompatible pairs are flagged in this tool - verify S-allele compatibility for any unlisted pairing.
Helpful notes
Plant hazelnut companions within 50 to 100 feet. Wind carries pollen beyond that range in open sites, but closer is more reliable.
