SEED
Please read this introduction in its entirety.
We open this seed page product list and take seed orders from September 1. Seed page will close on October 10. When these early orders are filled we may reopen the seed page with remaining seed until later in October. Check even after your order is placed, we may add a new seed entry without notice if harvest is more abundant than anticipated.
Please note that seed orders cannot be shipped until all of the seed ordered by each individual customer is harvested. Orders including pecans for example may take until mid-November before they are shipped. We keep all perishable seed refrigerated to keep it fresh until it is sent.
We offer open pollinized seed from our best mother trees for those that want to start their own trees. The pollen source (father trees) are nearby selections.
To assist Canadian growers who purchase seed selections in small quantities of less than 500 seeds, we will add peat moss for smaller nuts. For seed that arrives without peat moss you will need to add it or another appropriate material. Please see our stratification page below by clicking the link.
You may fall plant if you wish, or store in plastic bags in the crisper of the refrigerator until spring planting time. For winter storage, wet the peat moss already in the bag, or add peat moss with the seed to a point just before water run-off. Once prepared, check the seed several times through the winter. Do not allow the seed to dry out. Chestnut seed is the exception.Chestnuts should be stored with almost dry peat moss and they must remain plump with a minimum of droplets showing. They are subject to molding and possible spoilage, so frequent inspections are needed in storage. Most temperate seeds require a minimum of 8-10 weeks of cool moist conditioning. Once warm moist conditions return, a chemical reaction occurs in the seed to cause it to naturally split the shell and sprout.
A word of caution: Do not store seed in areas where mice and other critters have access. We recommend a refrigerator at temperatures between 1-4o C or underground at a well-drained location in a wire cage container for the winter. A mulched covering of wood chips, straw or leaves is advised.
Download our 2024 Seed stratification information here.
Seed prices are listed in the FAQ. Minimum order of any seed is 20 nuts. Shipping is extra. There is Canadian tax on seed. American customers, can order seed nuts priced at par. We must have a Canadian inspection certificate provided at an extra cost to us that we must pass on of $18. Tarrifs and VAT's are the responsibility of the buyer and we have NO control over the amounts each country charges. European customers can order seed nuts with the Canadian inspection certificate, but shipping is expensive and we are not responsible for delays or issues with shipping.
We do not warranty natural or human misguidance if seed does not sprout or survive.
Seed selections cannot be combined. For example the 100 seed option is for 100 seeds of 1 selection or species. The counted seed price is determined by the amount of time spent to usually hand collect and assemble an order. (If specific cultivars are requested beyond the ones that are offered below, there is approximately 25% extra charge to provide it, if that seed is available. You will need to request this by email and we can confirm availability and manually add it to your order.)
100 seed = 100 seed one cultivar
500 seed = 500 seed of one cultivar
Orders for seed cannot be combined with tree orders. Please make one order for seed and a separate order for trees.
Select seed from the following cultivars:
'Campbell CW1', an 'Etter' seedling selections from Doug Campbell of Niagara-on-the-Lake
'Campbell CWW', an 'Etter' seedling selections from Doug Campbell of Niagara-on-the-Lake
'Wright' - an old seedling selection introduced by Ross P. Wright of Erie, PA
'Imshu'- a 'Shubert' seedling selected by John Gordon from Amherst, NY
'Fioka' - an old productive selection from Jack Gellatly of Kelowna, BC. A large nut that cracks well in BC, but not as well for us.
Mixed Harvest' - We recommend this choice for growers who want a diverse genetic representation. It is a a mixture of named selections. (Our trees ripen from late September to mid-October).
Please name your preferred selection(s) in the checkout comment section.
Please remember that the seed grown from the above named cultivars can only be identified as "seedlings of" and not by the cultivar name. Cultivars are propagated by asexual means, that is, by grafting, layering, cuttings or tisuue culturing. A named cultivar has the same set of genes in every tree produced this way. A seed produced tree gets genes from 2 parents and so every seed grown tree is unique with its own set of genes and so should not be loosely named as its cultivar parent.
Select seeds of:
'Mixed Harvest' - a mixture of our best named selections. Suited for growers who want a diverse genetic mixture.
'Young's B1' - a seedling of 'Broadview'. B1 has been a consistent bearing tree for us.
Please name your preferred selection(s) in the checkout comment section.
Please remember that the seed grown from the above named cultivar can only be identified as "seedlings of xxx" and not by the cultivar name. Cultivars are propagated by asexual means, that is, by grafting, layering, cuttings or tisuue culturing. A named cultivar has the same set of genes in every tree produced this way. A seed produced tree gets genes from 2 parents and so every seed grown tree is unique with its own set of genes and so should not be loosely named as its cultivar parent.
Butternut is on the endangered list in Canada and our crop is limited this year to 2 trees.
Available is:
Mixed Harvest - a mixture of our cultivars that include 'Craxezy' and 'Beckwith'.
Select from seed of:
'Mixed named' black walnut selections - These trees were selected by enthusiasts from across the Northern States and Southern Ontario and established as grafted trees in our orchard.
'Prairie' - This is a very hardy September harvesting seedling tree. Nuts are small but the tree is very productive. Originated in Manitoba.
'Wild Niagara Harvest' - a mixture of our best natural trees from the Niagara area.
Please name your preferred selection(s) in the checkout comment section. (Our trees ripen from end of September to mid-October).
Seed is available of each the following European and American or Turkish x European hybrids:
'Matt'- a Grimo selection from 'Faroka'. 'Faroka' is a cross of Turkish tree hazel x European hazel bred by Jack Gellatly in BC. Suitable for zone 5b-8.
'Farris Selections' - Cecil Farris was a Michigan backyard hazelnut breeder who used 'Faroka' as a parent to produce several blight resistant selections. Suitable for zones 5b-8.
'Gamma' - this European selection was produced by Dr. Shawn Mehlenbacher the hazelnut breeder of Oregon State University. It is moderately resistant to filbert blight but has good bud mite resistance. Suitable for zones 6b-8.
'Slate' - George Slate was a breeder from the Geneva Experimental Station in NY. This was his best selection. Suitable for zones 6-8.
‘Mixed Harvest’ – This choice ensures of getting compatible pollinizers and genetic variation of the above selections.
'Red leaf hazels' - We have selections that are European hybrids producing red leaves. Many of the seedlings should have red leaves too. Suitable for zones 6b-8.
Please name your preferred selection(s) in the checkout comment section as they are named above. (Our trees ripen from late August to mid-October depending on source. Northern hazels are usually the earliest ripening).
Please remember that the seed grown from the above-named cultivars can only be identified as "seedlings of xxx" and not by the cultivar name. Cultivars are propagated by asexual means, that is, by grafting, layering, cuttings or tisuue culturing. A named cultivar has the same set of genes in every tree produced this way. A seed produced tree gets genes from 2 parents and so every seed grown tree is unique with its own set of genes and so should not be loosely named as its cultivar parent.
Our Northern Hazels are suited for colder zones. Our 'Sources' represent several seedlings from the same parent or geographical area.
1) ‘Asian/Quebec Source’- The seed offered is from the productive off-spring of the C. heterophylla. Choose from; 'Andrew', 'Nathan', 'Mixed Selections'. Suitable for zones 4-8.
2) ‘Dermis'- Skinner was a hobby breeder from Manitoba. He crossed a Manitoba hazel C. Americana with a European hazel from a NY source. His best selection was named after him. 'Dermis' is a seedling of Skinner that is an improvement over the parent. It is mid to late October ripening unlike most other northern hazel selections. Suitable for zones 4b-8.
3) 'Wisconsin Source' - Our Wisconsin source seedlings have been very productive, hardy and resistant to filbert blight. They tend to stick in the husk. Suitable for zones 3b-7.
4) 'Saskatchewan Source' - Seed comes from our selected trees that originated in Saskatchewan. Suitasble for zones 3b-7.
Please name your preferred selection(s) in the checkout comment section as they are named above. (Our trees ripen from late August to mid-October depending on source. Northern hazels are usually the earliest ripening).
Seed is available of: 'Mixed Harvest' chestnuts - A mix of mostly Chinese and Chinese hybrid chestnuts. Chestnut seed cannot be sent to BC or the USA. (Our trees ripen from early October to late-October).
Mention ‘mixed harvest’ chestnuts in the comment section of the checkout.
Choose from:
'Wesc' - This is our earliest ripening selection, starting to drop mid September. The nut is small to medium in size and good cracking.
'Mixed Harvest' - a mixture of our best named cultivars. (Our trees ripen from mid-September to mid-October). Our trees are too close to be collected separately, Almost all our orchard trees are grafted selections from various sources.
Mention 'Wesc' or ‘mixed harvest’ shagbark hickory in the comment section of the checkout.
This is a rare tree for Southern Canada since it is native in central United States. Many selections will not ripen well here but these do.
Seeds of: 'Henry' and 'Fayette' Shellbark Mixed - Our trees ripen and start dropping from mid-October to late November. Suited for climate zones 6b-8.
Seed is available from:
'Burton'-- This is a rare natural cross of pecan and shagbark hickory. (Our trees ripen from mid-October to early November).
Please remember that the seed grown from the above-named cultivar can only be identified as "seedlings of Burton" and not by the cultivar name. Cultivars are propagated by asexual means, that is, by grafting, layering, cuttings or tisuue culturing. A named cultivar has the same set of genes in every tree produced this way. A seed produced tree gets genes from 2 parents and so every seed grown tree is unique with its own set of genes and so should not be loosely named as its cultivar parent.
Mixed harvest seed from grafted orchard ultra northern pecan trees is available. Sorry, trees are too crowded to keep individual seed trees separate, but all trees in the orchard are named selections.
'Mixed Harvest Pecans' - Ripen mid-October to mid-November. Nuts vary in size from small to native pecan size. Suitable for zones 5b-8.
'Bur oak seed' is available from the 'Ashworth' bur oak. Fred Ashworth from NY State selected this tree for very low tannin, making the nuts suitable for food. Our trees ripen from mid-September to early October. Some seed may have been affected by the oak weevil, Youmay wish to heat treat the seed at 120°F. for 40 minutes as soon as you receive the seed to kill the weevil larvae without a negative affect on germination. Some affected nuts will still germinate without treatment. Suitable for zones 4-8.
'Korean pine seed' - Our seed producing trees originated from South Korea. Our trees ripen from late September to late-October. Seed cones take two years to ripen and can contain 20-50 seeds. We break the cones open to remove the seed. Hardy for regions where white and red pine are native. Germination rate can vary from year to year ranging from 30-80%. Suited for zones 3-7.
Ginkgo seed -- from our mixed Chinese origin named trees. Our trees ripen late October. Suitable for zones 5b-8.
'Select Pawpaw Seed' - Our seed comes from our own selected seedlings and grafted trees that originated in Ontario and northern states. We use the same seed for our own tree sales. Our trees ripen from late September to mid-October. Suitable for zones 5-8.
After a period of 3 months stratifying, it is best to start the seed indoors in long slender pots as it needs warmth to sprout. Sown outdoors, plant is a sheltered spot from sun and wind. Sprouting will occur some time after the ground warms. This could be in late June or July. They do best in a tree shelter once they sprout and for 2-3 years afterwards.
This is a specific request for seed of a cultivar that is not listed above in any of the seed for sale. We may not have enough of something to list above for regular sales. If there is something you would specifically like we can check if it is available. The price is approximately 25% additional to the cost above the normal seed price for us to collect them separately. You must confirm with us by email before selecting this request.
The Grimo newly named Heartnut seeds are not available yet!
All USA and International seed orders must have a government plant officer inspection before shipping. A certificate will be issued that must accompany the seed.