Hickory Seed Nuts

This continent is the genetic hot spot for hickory species. Way back in time prior to humans there were hickory species spread across other continents but over time most have been lost. A handful of hickory species can still be found on other continents but so called North America hands down has the most native hickory species. We mainly work with the following hickory species, pecan, shagbark, shellbark (aka kingnut), yellowbud (aka bitternut or oilnut), mockernut, and pignut.    Yellowbud hickory has the widest range but prefers wetter sites in warmer regions. Shellbark and pecan prefer moister soils while pignut, mockernut, and shagbark do well on dry rocky sites. There is a hickory for almost any context. Shagbark, shellbark and pecan make the best tasting nuts and are generally easier to crack than pignut or mockernut. Any of these 5 can be used to make hickory broth, a nutritious drink of boiled hickory nuts invented by indigenous peoples on this land countless generations ago. Y