Bitternut Hickory
Bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis) is a slow-growing, large, beautiful native tree that we are super excited about for the culinary oil potential found in the nut. You might be asking yourself…”Why would a nut named “bitter”nut be good to consume?” Well, it turns out the tannins that make the nut bitter are not fat-soluble, which means that oil pressed from bitternuts is not bitter at all. Bitternuts have a very high oil content (60-70%) and, while the process to get a viable oil is laborious, the real potential is there for this to return as a staple food species in agroforestry and forest farming systems.
Growing conditions: Endemic to bottomlands and swamps, although will tolerate a wide range of conditions
Size at maturity: 100’ spread of up to 50’
Uses: Edible oil. The wood is used for smoking meats and is also prized as a dense hardwood for tools and furniture.
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone: 4-9
Bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis) is a slow-growing, large, beautiful native tree that we are super excited about for the culinary oil potential found in the nut. You might be asking yourself…”Why would a nut named “bitter”nut be good to consume?” Well, it turns out the tannins that make the nut bitter are not fat-soluble, which means that oil pressed from bitternuts is not bitter at all. Bitternuts have a very high oil content (60-70%) and, while the process to get a viable oil is laborious, the real potential is there for this to return as a staple food species in agroforestry and forest farming systems.
Growing conditions: Endemic to bottomlands and swamps, although will tolerate a wide range of conditions
Size at maturity: 100’ spread of up to 50’
Uses: Edible oil. The wood is used for smoking meats and is also prized as a dense hardwood for tools and furniture.
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone: 4-9
Bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis) is a slow-growing, large, beautiful native tree that we are super excited about for the culinary oil potential found in the nut. You might be asking yourself…”Why would a nut named “bitter”nut be good to consume?” Well, it turns out the tannins that make the nut bitter are not fat-soluble, which means that oil pressed from bitternuts is not bitter at all. Bitternuts have a very high oil content (60-70%) and, while the process to get a viable oil is laborious, the real potential is there for this to return as a staple food species in agroforestry and forest farming systems.
Growing conditions: Endemic to bottomlands and swamps, although will tolerate a wide range of conditions
Size at maturity: 100’ spread of up to 50’
Uses: Edible oil. The wood is used for smoking meats and is also prized as a dense hardwood for tools and furniture.
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone: 4-9