Simple
Regular watering and a little feed
Space
A full sized Hazel, so allow for 5M height
Use
In a few years, you'll harvest truffles from the roots
Truffle tree - Hazel
All trees are packaged with bio-degradable packaging and come with a planting instruction booklet and certificate. You can choose from oak or hazel trees impregnated with summer truffles. The Hazel grows to about 5m in height and width but can be coppiced to be tall and thin or short and wide, this which actually aids the truffles as it makes the root systems bigger, the hazel is the Kentish Cob variety so will also produce a nut crop.
For a gift we can email the "certificate" of ownership before the tree is delivered.
What are truffles?Truffles are a kind of 'underground mushroom' that grow on the roots of certain tree species. They are highly prized by top chefs and connoisseurs for their exquisite flavor.
Why cultivate truffles? Truffles are one of the most expensive fungi on the face of the planet. Wholesale prices for the black winter truffle (Tuber melanosporum) can exceed £1000 per kg. The Summer truffle (Tuber aestivum var. uncinatum) is very similar to the winter truffle although milder in flavour. For this reason wholesale prices are much lower and are generally £200-300/kg. However, the summer truffle is much more at home in cooler climates and in the UK has been reported to have been found as far north as Scotland!
How can truffles be cultivated? Like all mycorrhizal species the truffle grows in conjunction with the roots of certain plants. The truffle grows most successfully with the roots of oak and hazel trees. A new technique allows infected trees to be planted and truffles harvested. The truffle grows underground and the 'truffle farm' looks like a tree plantation. The summer variety is very happy in UK climates however, the winter variety needs a southern climate. Truffles tend to take 3-5 years to produce a crop, maturation times do vary so we would recommend having several trees (if you have the space!).