Native Nut Trees and Shrubs
Please note that nothing herein should be taken as medical or as personal advice, nor as a diagnosis or a prescription in any form.
Thankfully, there are quite a few nut trees and shrubs that yield edible nuts and are native* to our area. *here, native means to the east, north-central Midwest “~” = approximately
- American Beech (Fagus grandifolia): ~60-100 feet tall at maturity; adaptable to varied soil pH and composition, but favors well-draining soil; grows in sun to shade, but typically performs better in increased sunlight; young trees tend to hold their leaves until spring, making them easy to identify in the winter; the nuts are typically roasted (contain saponins, tannins, alkaloids, etc.) and eaten in modest amounts; the young, cooked leaves are edible; having at least two species near to each other supports optimal cross-pollination
- Birch (Betula spp.): there are six native species with varied growing preferences (choose well for your area); ~40-80 feet at maturity; the sap can enjoyed directly from the tree, or processed into syrup, or fermented into “birch beer”; the twigs can be steeped in hot water to make a wintergreen-like tea; the nuts are not typically consumed by humans (they are not known to contain toxins, but they tend to be very small); in a pinch, the inner bark can be dried and ground into flour or cut into strips and boiled like noodles; self-fertile
- American Chestnut (Castanea dentata): prior to the blight, trees could reach ~80+ feet; some nut-producing trees can still be found, and much work has been done to breed blight-resistant varieties with resistant strains of American chestnut (see below for sources); typically prefers moist, acidic, deep soils in full sun
- Hazelnuts (Corylus species, including American hazelnut (C. Americana) and beaked hazelnut (C. cornuta): ~ 8-20 feet at maturity across zones 4-8 (with winter chill hours >800); adaptable to varied soil characteristics, but favor well-drained types; will yield some nuts in part shade, but perform better in full sun; two species support optimal cross-pollination
- Hickories (Carya spp.): there are six native species with varied growing preferences, most growing to ~60-100 feet at maturity; the species that produce edible nuts include mockernut, shagbark, and shellbark/ kingnut; self-fertile
- Oaks (Quercus spp., including black, blackjack, bur, chestnut, chinkapin, post, northern red, scarlet, shingle, Shumard’s, swamp white, white, willow, and many hybrids): the growing heights (~40-150’) and preferred conditions vary across species, as does nut production, with some species producing mature nuts across one season, and others taking two growing seasons to produce mature nuts; nuts necessitate preparation to leach tannins (soaking them in water for several days, changing the water frequently) prior to drying and grinding into flour; although monoecious (have male and female flowers on the same tree), they tend toward self-incompatibility, so two or more support optimal cross-pollination and nut production
- Walnuts (Juglans spp., including black walnut and butternut): ~60-80 feet or more at maturity, preferring full sun in well-draining soils (deeply tap-rooted); walnuts produce juglone, a compound that can deter some nearby plants; can be tapped to make syrup; oil can be extracted from kernels; although technically self-fertile with male and female parts on the same tree, the timing is often “off” between pollen release and female flower receptiveness, so having multiple trees nearby can support higher nut yield
For more good information, please see the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Trees of Ohio Field Guide.
Sources of American chestnuts: The American Chestnut Foundation (tacf.org)