Hickory

While the hickory nut has gained wild popularity with the squirrel folk, humans have been slow to enjoy the flavorful hickory nut due to its hard and tough to penetrate shell.

There are seventeen known varieties of the hickory tree, 13 of which are native to the U.S.A. Each type will give a different type of nut varying in size, shell thickness, shape, and flavor.

Two of the more common American varieties are the shagbark, which is known for its strong flavor and small nut, and the far larger shellbark.

Hickory does have great importance not only as a food but as a wood. Its wood is very hard and is thought to be a great combination of strength, toughness, and stiffness that is rare to find.

It has been used for tool handles as well as other tools and used to be used to make baseball bats and golf clubs.