Is this bitternut hickory?

[XP_Slinger]

Hello,
     I have been finding small green nuts in my woods where there appears to be only white ash trees.  The nuts are round woth 4 ridges that start at its equator then meet at a point at the bottom of the nut.  Overall size is the diameter of a nickel.  Any suggestions? 

Thanks

[GAB]

Yes it could be bitternut hickory.  From your description though, I would not rule out shagbark hickory.
Gerald

[WDH]

Bitternut has relatively smooth, tight bark with interlacing ridges.  Shagbark is, em, shaggy.

Shagbark and shellbark hickory, both very shaggy, but they have 5 leaflets and 7 leaflets respectively.  Bitternut generally has more leaflets, up to 11.  Bitternut is one of the pecan hickories.

The most distinctive feature of bitternut, and it is unique, is the sulfur yellow buds. 

http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=18

[XP_Slinger]

Thanks for the replies.  I tried to load pics of the nut and bark but was unsuccessful.  There aren't  any trees with shaggy bark in the areas where I find these nuts.  I will try to knock down some leaves via the shotgun method I've seen in this forum.  There are no low hanging branches to take advantage of.

[WDH]

You could take a sample of 10 leaves, count the leaflets on each leaf, then average them to get an average # of leaflets per leaf.  You could do the count with a pair of binoculars, probably, and not have to rouse up the neighborhood.

[thecfarm]

Here's your picture.



 

My shagbark hickory nuts are falling too. Whatever you have in your hand looks like the shagbark but they are bigger,maybe the size between a quarter and a half dollar.

This is how you post pictures when you get them in your gallery. The hard part is done!!

I like to go to whatever post or start a new topic first to include a picture.Go to your gallery,it will open in a new window.Click onto your album,then click onto whatever picture you want,it will get bigger,than scroll down a little to find,Insert Image In Post,click onto that,click Yes and that is it. Some have to copy/paste the link to work.I like to hit the enter key at least once or twice to move the picture down away from what I am typing. The enter key really helps to leave some white space if posting more than one picture or posting a comment. Use the preview button to see how it looks and modify it if needed

[XP_Slinger]

Thanks for the concern about the neighborhood but these trees are well away from the neighbors.  Anyway, I search the woods and located a tree with low enough branches to snap a picture of the leaves.  It is definitely bitternut hickory.  Thanks for all the help.

[mesquite buckeye]

That nut is from a bitternut hickory. 8) ;D 8) 8) 8)