Years to Production. A newly planted hazelnut tree does not start producing a nut crop until the tree becomes established. A first hazelnut crop can be expected within two to five years of planting the tree.The initial crops are usually small, but as the tree matures, the crops increase in size. A mature hazelnut tree can produce up to 25 pounds of nuts in a single year.Once a tree begins to produce, you can expect a new crop of hazelnuts each year, up to 50 years.ou must grow two hazelnut trees with strong genetic differences, one as a pollinator and the other as a producer to get a nut crop. These trees need to be within about 65 feet of each other for cross pollination to take place.