8 November 2023
Despite the fact that their names fluctuate by way of just one letter bitternuts and butternuts don’t seem to be the similar in any respect.
Bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis) is likely one of the maximum commonplace hickories in southwestern Pennsylvania and smooth to spot by way of its narrow sulfur-yellow buds.
Bitternuts are intently associated with pecans and in addition proportion the hickory genus with shagbark hickories, pignuts and mockernuts. In contrast to the pecan the bitternut tree is never cultivated.
The fruit is an excessively sour nut, 2–3 cm (0.75 – 1.25 in) lengthy with a inexperienced four-valved quilt which splits off at adulthood within the fall, and a troublesome, bony shell.
The “inexperienced four-valved quilt” turns brown after the nut lies round for some time (see center nut at most sensible) and certainly the shell is tricky and bony. I had to make use of a hammer to open this one and broken the easiest nutmeat within the procedure. You’ll need to consider it was once formed like a brief squat pecan.
I will let you know from taste-testing that the nut is sour and astringent. Squirrels keep away from those nuts regardless that Wikipedia says that rabbits devour them.
Butternuts (Juglans cinerea), alternatively, are prized since the nuts flavor excellent.
Butternuts are in the similar genus as black walnuts and often referred to as “white walnuts.” The leaf association is so identical that I didn’t understand that I used to be having a look up at a butternut tree — to peer warblers — till I noticed the nuts at the floor.
Understand how identical the husks are: butternut at the left, black walnut at the proper beneath. The butternut husk is rectangular and fuzzy.
Because the husk deteriorates (at left) the lumpy nutshell is printed.
A go segment of the nut presentations the tough external and nutmeat within.
The butternut’s herbal vary runs from Maine and southern Ontario to southeastern Missouri and is smaller than the bitternut hickory’s. Whilst the bitternut flourishes, the butternut is declining and indexed as threatened in some U.S. states and endangered in Canada. Its greatest risk is a deadly illness, butternut canker, brought about by way of a fungus imported with the Eastern walnut. Sarcastically butternuts are partially threatened by way of too-easy hybridization with Eastern walnut timber.
Like black walnuts, butternuts are color illiberal and thrive handiest once they’re on the most sensible of the cover or in an open house. Now that I do know what a butternut looks as if, I’ll pay extra consideration.
(credit are within the captions)