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. Yellowbud has the thinnest shell but also has high tannin levels making raw nuts inedible to humans. Those tannins are not oil soluble and therefore the nuts can be pressed for their oil content. Yellowbud nuts can be as much as 70% oil and their oil tastes amazing!  

All hickory species that we work with require cold stratification to grow. Our seed has been stored in the fridge since collection this fall (2025) so the stratification has begun. We recommend fall planting or continued stratification to get the best germination results. All hickory species grow a strong taproot and the seed nuts are desired by all rodents. Be sure to protect your seeds adequately.