Here are some nuts that were collected near Foxville that represent the more common nut- producing trees found in our region. The bitternut hickory has a thin husk and a more pointed nut. Bitternut hickory are normally found in lower-lying moist areas but will not grow in swamps.
The pignut hickory also has a thin bark, but the nut is more rounded and the husk does not split cleanly like the other hickories. Pignut hickories are found in upland areas growing alongside oak trees.
The mockernut hickory is another upland tree growing alongside oak. The husk is thicker than the pignut, and it breaks cleanly. The shagbark hickory has the thickest of husks, and the husk breaks cleanly.
Of the hickories, the shagbark and mockernut are considered the best-tasting. The pignut is OK, and the bitternut lives up to its name.
The butternut or "white walnut" is a fairly rare tree that has been decimated by a blight that has killed about 90 percent of the trees throughout the region. The nut is egg-shaped and the husk has a sticky texture.
The butternut tree looks a lot like its cousin the black walnut, but the bark has a silver sheen to it. The black walnut has a large, round-shaped nut. The black walnut tree is very common in our county and is dropping its fruits now, so be careful if you are walking under a large walnut tree.
Article by FCFCDB
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