Common Nut Trees In Michigan (8 Types You Must Know)
There are many different kinds of native and naturalized nut trees in Michigan. These trees are important to the state’s ecology and economy. The nuts on these trees are good for people and animals, and they also provide homes for many different kinds of animals.
Whether it’s the well-known black walnut or the lesser-known hazelnut, Michigan’s nut trees contribute to the state’s identity and ecosystem.
In this article, we’ll talk about some of the most common nut trees in Michigan, including both native and non-native varieties that have become naturalized.
So, let’s get started.
1. Black Walnut
- Common Name: Black Walnut
- Scientific Name: Juglans nigra
- Mature Height: 50-75 feet (15-23 meters)
- Flowers/Cones: catkin composed of many tiny green flowers
- Uses: valued for its wood, which is used for building furniture and cabinets; an important food source for wildlife
Juglans nigra, popularly known as black walnut, is a type of tree that belongs to the Juglandaceae family. It has a straight boot, an open spherical crown, and a height range of 50 to 75 feet (15 to 23 meters). Black walnuts are the most commonly found nut trees in Michigan.
Each of its complex leaves, which alternately attached and have 15 to 23 stalkless leaflets each measuring 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm) long and with a pointy tip, are alternately attached. The center leaflets are larger than either end, while the final (terminal) leaflet is frequently smaller or not there.
The tree’s bark has deep pits and flat, scaly ridges, and it ranges in color from dark brown to black as it ages.
Black walnut trees produce a fall-born fruit with a hard, dark nut that is fleshy green in color. It is round, 1-2 inches (2.5–5 cm) wide, and has an aromatic green husk around it. The nutmeat is delicious.
The smooth, slightly lighter-colored, and hairier leaves are yellowish-green above and turn yellowish-green in the fall.
The species is shade-intolerant and needs rich, well-drained soils. The wood from black walnut, which is prized for use in furniture and cabinets, is valuable. It is a crucial source of food for wildlife.
Since fruit husks contain a chemical that stains skin, early settlers used them to dye their clothing a light brown color. The plant’s fallen leaves and roots create juglone, a natural herbicide.
2. American Hazelnut
- Common Name: American Hazelnut
- Scientific Name: Corylus americana
- Mature Height: 20-25 feet (6-7.5 m)
- Flowers/Cones: Catkins
- Uses: Edible nuts, ornamental, soil erosion control
A small deciduous tree endemic to the eastern parts of North America including the United States and Canada, the American Hazelnut tree is also known by its scientific name, Corylus americana. It reaches a maximum height of 20 feet and belongs to the birch family. This is among the most common edible nut trees in Michigan.
The American hazelnut tree has serrated, spherical leaves. Throughout the summer, they have a rich green color, but by autumn, they have changed to a brilliant yellow. Catkins, which are little, dangling bunches of flowers, appear on the tree before the leaves do in the spring.
The tree’s edible nuts have a papery husk covering their hard, woody shell. The pea-sized nuts have a sweet, nutty flavor and a spherical, bite-sized shape. Birds and mammals, such as squirrels and deer, rely heavily on them for sustenance.
The American hazelnut tree is an adaptable plant that does well in many different environments. Its natural habitats include wooded areas, forest margins, and hedgerows. In addition to its usefulness as a landscape shrub or small tree, the hazelnut tree is also a common sight in backyard orchards.
3. American Bladdernut
- Common Name: American Bladdernut
- Scientific Name: Staphylea trifolia
- Mature Height: 20-25 feet (6-7.5 m)
- Flowers/Cones: A green capsule that turns brown when mature
- Uses: Often overlooked because it grows in the understory of deciduous forests.
Staphylea trifolia, more often known as the American Bladdernut, is a species of tiny deciduous tree that can reach heights of 25 feet. It has several stems of varying thicknesses and an open crown.
It has compound leaves that are joined on opposite sides and contain three to five oval leaflets, each measuring between 2.5 and 7.5 centimeters in length and featuring a sharply serrated border. The upper parts are a deep green, while the lower parts are lighter.
In the summer and fall, the American Bladdernut gets its name from the distinctive balloon-like bladder that hangs from the tree and changes color from green to brown. As the green capsule is fully developed, it opens at the tip to reveal spherical, lustrous brown seeds. Its leaves become a distinctive yellow and brown in the fall, another trait that sets it apart.
This tree is widely distributed over the southern regions favoring wet soils in the shade of deciduous woods. The American Bladdernut is remarkable for its subtle beauty, which is easy to miss unless you know to seek it.
4. Butternut
- Common Name: Butternut
- Scientific Name: Juglans cinerea
- Mature Height: 40-60′ (12-18 m)
- Flowers/Cones: Catkin, 1-2″ long
- Uses: Edible nut, woodcarving, sap for syrup, yellow dye extraction
The butternut tree, also known as the white walnut tree, is a medium-sized deciduous tree with a divided trunk and an open, broad, and sometimes flat crown. It can grow to a height of 40-60′ (12-18 m).
It has compound leaves that are alternately connected and composed of 11-17 stalkless leaflets (sessile), with 2-4 leaflets per leaflet “(5-10 cm) long with a finely serrated border. The final (terminal) leaflet is usually present and is the same size as the lateral leaflets, whereas the others become smaller as they approach the leaf base.
The bark of the tree is light grey with broad flat ridges.
The butternut tree produces a catkin of many tiny green blooms in late spring or early summer. Its nut clusters, which are egg-shaped or oval, become mature in the fall “(5-7.5 cm) long, with a sticky green husk that becomes brown.
The nut is edible and in high demand, and its extremely hard and durable wood is utilized in woodcarving. The tree’s sap can also be boiled to make syrup, and the yellow dye collected from the husks can be used to color clothes.
Butternut is native to North America and prefers well-drained, rich soils, which are commonly found on sunny slopes. This is one of the most commonly seen nut trees in Michigan that can live upwards of 100 years.
The name “Butternut” stems from the butter-like oil that Indigenous people used to obtain from the nuts, while the Latin species name, cinerea, means “ash,” characterizing the color of its bark. Butternut canker, a fungus that has killed many of these trees in recent years, poses a threat to the tree.
Among all other edible nut trees in Michigan, Butternut has the third largest presence in the state.
5. American Beech
- Common Name: American Beech
- Scientific Name: Fagus grandifolia
- Mature Height: 60–80 feet (18–24.5 meters)
- Flowers/Cones: Reddish-brown capsule
- Uses: The wood is very valuable and has been used for many years in furniture and flooring
The American Beech, commonly known as Fagus grandifolia, is a medium to a big tree with a single boot that is short and thick and branches close to the ground. Its branches frequently drop to the ground, forming a broad, circular crown.
The leaves of the tree are 2-5″ (5-12.5 cm) long, oval, and alternately attached, with long pointy tips, straight parallel veins, and each end in a sharp shallow tooth. The leaves are dark green on top and lighter green on the bottom, with a leathery texture. The smooth, light grey bark of the tree is exceptional in that it remains smooth as the tree ages.
This valued tree is one of the most common and well-known trees in eastern North America. It thrives in mixed deciduous forests with oaks and maples, as well as in isolated stands.
The American Beech is native to the area and has a lifespan of 150-200 years. It grows well in damp, well-drained soils and bottomlands, making it a shade-tolerant tree.
The abundant and tasty beechnuts of the American Beech assist species such as squirrels, grouse, bears, raccoons, and deer.
The tree’s wood is extremely expensive and has long been utilized in furniture and flooring. For many years, this tree has been planted in parks and around residences. Young trees can live for years under a lot of shade until a bigger tree falls and leaves them with enough light and room to grow.
6. Bitternut Hickory
- Common Name: Bitternut Hickory
- Scientific Name: Carya cordiformis
- Mature Height: 50-100 feet (15-30.5 meters)
- Flowers/Cones: Compound, narrow leaflets, lacks a leaflet stalk, attaching directly to the central stalk
- Uses: Wood is used for smoking meat, and oil extracted from the nuts is used for lamp fuel
Bitternut Hickory, or Carya Cordiformis, is a large tree with a sturdy straight trunk and slender upright branches that form an open round crown.
This tree can grow between 50 and 100 feet tall (15-30.5 meters). The 7-11 small leaflets that make up its compound leaves span a length of 6-10 inches (15-25 cm). The length of each leaflet ranges from 3 to 6 inches (7.5 to 15 centimeters), and they all end in a sharp point and have a finely serrated edge.
Leaves lack a leaflet stalk and are attached directly to the primary stalk; they are glossy green on top and lighter underneath. The bark of the bitternut hickory has a dull grey color with irregular vertical fractures and a scaly look, yet the scales never fall off.
Its fruit is a spherical nut that is too bitter to eat and is between 34 and 112 inches (2 cm and 4 cm) in diameter. It ends in a sharp tip, and its outer husk is covered in yellowish hairs. The oil in the nuts can be used to light lamps.
The nut’s flesh, however, is extremely bitter and unappealing to humans and most other animals. The leaves of the tree turn a brilliant yellow in the autumn.
This shade-intolerant, North American native bitternut hickory can be found in the wet lowlands. While it grows slowly, this tree has a lifespan of 100-150 years.
Its wood has the greatest flavor of any hickory and is widely used for smoking meat. To emphasize its close relationship to the genuine pecan, the Bitternut Hickory is sometimes known as Bitter Pecan.
Swamp Hickory is another name for this tree species because of its penchant for soggy or loamy ground. About 12 kinds of hickory are found naturally in the Americas and Asia.
7. American Chestnut
- Common Name: American Chestnut
- Scientific Name: Castanea dentata
- Mature Height: 60-90 feet (18-27.5m)
- Flowers/Cones: Catkins producing both male and female flowers on the same tree
- Uses: Produces edible chestnuts, hardwood lumber
Due to the chestnut blight fungus decimating it, the American Chestnut, which was once a towering tree reaching over 100 feet tall, now only grows up to 30 feet. However, it still has a full, round crown and produces beautiful yellow fall foliage.
Its unique leaves are simple and narrow, tapering at each end, with prominent teeth that extend beyond the margins, forming a forward curve similar to saw teeth. Its bark ranges from a dark brown to red color, separating into wide flat-topped ridges.
The tree grows chestnuts that can be eaten and are used in many dishes. It also has a straight-grain hardwood that doesn’t rot.
While the American Chestnut is non-native and ages between 25-50 years, it is known for sprouting from stumps of dead or cut trees. The tree thrives in well-drained sandy soils and requires full sun.
Although the American Chestnut is rarely seen in the wild now, it is often seen in parks and around dwellings. The species name, dentata, refers to the distinct large teeth found on the leaves.
The American Chestnut has become one of the most beloved trees in North America due to the sentimental memories of roasting chestnuts over an open fire during the Christmas holiday season.
8. Horse Chestnut
- Common Name: Horse-chestnut
- Scientific Name: Aesculus hippocastanum
- Mature Height: 40-60 feet (12-18 meters)
- Flowers/Cones: White flowers with yellow or orange centers
- Uses: Not much useful
The Horse-chestnut is a medium-sized deciduous tree belonging to the family Hippocastanaceae. It is widely recognized for its attractive foliage and ornamental flowers.
The tree generally grows up to 40-60 feet tall and has a single trunk that is often divided low a spreading round crown, and palmate compound leaves that are oppositely attached.
The leaves are made up of 5-9 leaflets that radiate from a central point and have sharp-toothed margins. Upon maturity, the leaves lack hair and become a glossy green color. The bark is dark brown, has multiple furrows and scales, and an inner bark that ranges from orange-brown.
In spring, the Horse-chestnut tree blooms with white flowers with yellow or orange centers that are ½-1 inch wide, upright in spike clusters, and 8-12 inches long.
The tree’s fruits are thick-walled leathery green capsules that are round and covered in pointed spines. These capsules grow in hanging clusters, splitting into three sections and containing 1-3 shiny chestnut-brown seeds.
The Horse-chestnut, non-native to the U.S., was introduced from Europe around 100 years ago. This tree can grow in a wide range of soil types and is often planted in parks and yards. The seeds were once used to treat cough in horses, hence the common name. The extract of its leaves and bark was found to have the chemical esculin, which is used in skin protectants.
Common Nut Trees In Michigan – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some of the most common questions that get asked on the internet related to common nut trees in Michigan.
What are the common nut trees in Michigan?
The commonly found nut trees in Michigan can be classified into two: trees with edible nuts and trees with non-edible nuts. Black walnuts, hazelnuts, bladdernuts, American chestnuts, etc. are all examples of trees that produce edible nuts, while the vast majority of hickory nuts are inedible.
Are Michigan walnuts edible?
The black walnut (Juglans nigra), one of the most common nut trees in Michigan, is edible, though it is significantly more difficult to crack and extract the nutmeat than the more commonly grown English walnut (Juglans regia).
Black walnuts have a thick, solid shell and a unique, earthy flavor. It is important to remember that some people may have an allergic reaction to black walnuts, so consume them with caution and consult a medical professional if you have any concerns.
Are there any chestnut or hickory trees in Michigan?
Chestnuts and hickory trees are commonly found in Michigan. American chestnuts and Horse chestnuts are both types of chestnut, while Bitternut, Shagbark, Red, and Shellbark are all types of hickories found in the state.
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Sources
The Regional Gardening team makes sure that the information in our articles is accurate by only using sources that are known to be trustworthy. Some of these sources are peer-reviewed journals from government agencies, well-known universities, and scientific research organizations.
- Book – Michigan Trees A Guide to the Trees of the Great Lakes Region
- Book – Field Manual of Michigan Flora
- Book – Trees Of Michigan Field Guide
- Michigan’s Forests, Department of Natural Resources
- Michigan Botanical Society
- LSA Herbarium, University Of Michigan
- Department Of Forestry, Michigan State University
- Michigan Nature Association
