10 Common Nut Trees In Wisconsin (Photos & Identification)
If collecting nuts is a hobby you enjoy, it’s worth your time to research the trees responsible for nut production.
And, if you live in Wisconsin, then this is the right place.
This article will guide you through identifying 10 of the most common nut trees in Wisconsin through the use of high-resolution photos and a detailed description.
So, let’s get started.
1. Black Walnut
- Common Name: Black Walnut
- Scientific Name: Juglans nigra
- Mature Height: up to 100 feet
- Native/Non-Native: Native
- Flowers/Cones: None
- Uses: Edible nuts, valuable wood for furniture and gun-stocks
One of the most commonly grown nut trees in Wisconsin, the black walnut tree is a massive, attractive tree that can grow 100 feet tall. It is indigenous to the southern United States, where it thrives in rich bottomlands and moist, fertile hillsides.
When grown in the open, the tree has a short stem and a broad, spreading crown. The bark is thick and very dark brown, separated into circular ridges by deep cracks, giving it a blocky look.
The black walnut tree’s leaves are complex and can grow up to 2 feet long. They have 7 to 11 pairs of yellow-green leaflets that are smooth on top and pale and hairy on the underside. The leaflets have toothed borders and are around 3 inches long. The pith contained within the stem is cream-colored.
The black walnut fruit is a huge, spherical nut encased in a firm green husk. Even when the nut is mature, the husk is not sticky and does not spread open. The inside of the nut is black, with a very hard, thick, finely ridged shell surrounding a rich, oily kernel that is edible and highly nutritious. The nuts mature in the first season’s fall.
In addition to its edible nuts, black walnut is prized for its valuable wood. The heartwood is deep chocolate brown, weighty, hard, and sturdy, with little warping and checking. It is highly polished and robust, perfect for furniture and gunstocks. Smaller trees, on the other hand, are largely sapwood, which is pale in color and not very durable.
2. Shagbark Hickory
- Common Name: Shagbark Hickory
- Scientific Name: Carya ovata
- Mature Height: 60-100 feet
- Native/Non-Native: Native
- Flowers/Cones: Nuts borne singly or in pairs
- Uses: Wood, fuel, smoking meats, wildlife food source
Shagbark Hickory is a huge, magnificent tree that can reach heights of 100 feet and a diameter of 2 feet. It has a rounded crown and coarser bark than other hickories, looking shaggy and light grey. The bark splits into thick, vertical stripes that are only loosely linked to the tree, allowing it to stand out in any forest.
Shagbark Hickory leaves are alternating and compound in shape and can grow up to 15 inches long. They have five (occasionally seven) ovate leaflets, with the last leaflet being bigger than the others. The leaflet’s edge is coated with fine teeth and many hairs.
The Shagbark Hickory fruit is a nut that grows individually or in pairs and is wrapped in a thick, deeply grooved husk that separates into four sections. The nuts are compressed or flattened, and they are light brown in hue. The shell is thin and easily cracked, revealing a delicious kernel inside.
The Shagbark Hickory grows in the state’s south on moist, rich soils and well-drained hillsides. Its wood is light brown to virtually white, hefty, robust, tough, and extremely strong. It is mostly utilized in the production of agricultural tools and tool handles, but it also serves as an excellent fuel and is the best wood for smoking foods.
The Shagbark Hickory’s nuts are an essential food source for wildlife, making it a vital tree in many forest environments. So, the next time you see a Shagbark Hickory, take a moment to admire its shaggy bark and remember all of the excellent benefits it has for both humans and animals.
3. Bitternut Hickory
- Common Name: Bitternut Hickory
- Scientific Name: Carya cordiformis
- Mature Height: 50 to 75 feet
- Native/Non-Native: Native
- Flowers/Cones: Nuts
- Uses: Wood, fuel, farm implements
Bitternut Hickory trees are endemic to the southern region of the state that may grow up to 75 feet tall and 1 to 2 inches in diameter. The peak of its crown is open and rounded. The bark is granite-gray with a faint yellow hue and is split into thin, plate-like scales. Unlike other hickories, the bark does not simply peel off.
The tree’s leaves are complex, alternating, and range in length from 6 to 10 inches. They are made up of 7 to 9 leaflets that are 4 to 6 inches long and have toothed borders. Each leaflet is substantially smaller and slenderer than those of other hickories.
The nuts produced by the tree are typically thin-shelled, smooth, and brittle. They are roughly one inch long with a thin husk that separates only partially down the side. The nut is longer than it is wide, and the kernel is bitter.
Bitternut Hickory can be found throughout the southern portion of the state, extending north to Langlade, Rusk, and Polk counties, on well-drained, fertile soils. Bitternut Hickory wood is firm, robust, hefty, and reddish-brown. It is used to make hoops, fuel, and farm equipment. However, it is regarded as slightly inferior to Shagbark Hickory.
4. Butternut
- Common Name: Butternut or White Walnut
- Scientific Name: Juglans cinerea
- Mature Height: 60 to 80 feet
- Native/Non-Native: Native
- Flowers/Cones: Butternuts have light brown nuts enclosed in oblong, yellowish-green husks.
- Uses: Butternut wood is light and soft, with a coarse grain. It can be used for furniture and interior finish for houses. The nuts have an oily, sweet edible kernel.
Among the commonly found nut trees in Wisconsin, Butternut is one variety that is preferred for back or front yards. It is a wide and broad crown of the Butternut or White Walnut tree, which may reach a height of 60 to 80 feet and a diameter of 3 feet, and is a lovely sight to behold.
This native tree grows in the southern portion of the state and has been seen as far north as Langlade, Burnett, and Ashland counties.
The alternating compound leaves of the Butternut or White Walnut tree are 15 to 30 inches long, with 11 to 17 sharply pointed, oblong, finely-toothed leaflets about 2 to 3 inches long. The leaves are yellowish-green on top and hairy on the bottom. The twig pith is chambered and chocolate brown.
The Butternut tree’s fruit is a light brown nut wrapped in a sticky yellowish-green husk that is about 2 inches long and covered with small, rusty, sticky hairs. The shell of the nut is rough and grooved, while the kernel is oily, delicious, and edible. They are delicious to eat and are available throughout the fall.
The bark of the Butternut tree is divided into broad, scaly, crossing ridges that form a rough diamond-shaped pattern and range in hue from light gray to light brown. It differs from black walnut by having velvet collars slightly above scars caused by last year’s leaves.
Butternut tree wood is light, soft, coarse-grained, and light brown. It polishes well and is used for furniture and house interior finishes.
Despite its beauty, the Butternut tree is also notorious for its susceptibility to Butternut canker, a disease that has killed many trees in Wisconsin. Conservation initiatives have been launched to safeguard this attractive and useful tree.
5. Basswood
- Common Name: Basswood or Linden
- Scientific Name: Tilia americana
- Mature Height: 60 to 80 feet, but often exceeding 100 feet with a diameter of 1 to 3 feet
- Native/Non-Native: Native
- Flowers/Cones: Flowers
- Uses: Choice-grade honey production, paper pulp, wooden ware, furniture, trunks, crating, drawing boards, and lumber
One of the stunning nut trees in Wisconsin, the Basswood or Linden will not disappoint! This tree can grow up to 100 feet tall and 3 feet in diameter. Its trunk is often straight and extends into a large, rounded crown.
This tree’s bark is gray, with shallow furrows and vertical, scaly ridges. It has heart-shaped leaves with coarse teeth and a sharp point at the tip. Each leaf can grow to be up to 6 inches long and 6 inches wide. They develop to a thick, lustrous green on top and paler green underneath.
Basswood has fragrant blossoms in the summer that attract pollinators. These bees use the blossoms to produce high-quality honey. When the blossoms have faded, the tree bears spherical, firm, nut-like fruits approximately a quarter inch in diameter. These fruits have 1 to 2 seeds and are covered in short, thick brownish-red wool.
They are linked to a leafy bract that serves as a wing to disperse the seeds in the wind. These fruits are frequently observed hanging on the tree well into the winter.
This tree is native to North America and can be found nationwide on rich, well-drained loamy soils, typically combined with other hardwoods. Basswood wood is soft, light, and robust, but it is not very durable. It is frequently used to make paper pulp, wooden goods, furniture, trunks, crating, drawing boards, and lumber.
6. Beech
- Common Name: Beech
- Scientific Name: Fagus grandifolia
- Mature Height: 50 to 75 feet
- Native/Non-Native: Native
- Uses: Chairs, tool handles, lumber, fuelwood, and landscape work
Beech is a tall and slender tree that can reach heights of 75 feet! In the forest, it has a narrow crown, but in the open, it has a short, sturdy trunk and a broad, compact, rounded crown. A Beech tree’s bark is smooth and steel gray, and it is its most distinguishing attribute, remaining smooth throughout its existence.
When mature, beech leaves are simple and oval-shaped, measuring 3 to 4 inches long and becoming leathery. They feature a pointed apex and coarse teeth around the edges. The term “winter tree” refers to beech because it is unique in that its leaves remain on the tree throughout the winter.
This tree’s fruit is a stalked, thorny, four-valved bur with two triangular, shining brown nuts and a sweet, edible kernel. These nuts are both a delicacy for wildlife and edible for humans.
Beech trees are native to eastern Wisconsin, where they grow in fertile, well-drained limestone soils. They are not suitable for commercial furniture, but their lumber is used for chairs, tool handles, and fuelwood. Because of their beauty and lack of insect pests, beech trees are also popular for landscaping.
7. Ironwood
- Common Name: Ironwood or Hop Hornbeam
- Scientific Name: Ostrya virginiana
- Mature Height: 20 to 40 feet
- Native/Non-Native: Native
- Flowers/Cones: Nuts in clusters of leafy bracts
- Uses: Fence posts, handles of tools, mallets, and other small articles and fuel.
Ironwood, sometimes known as Hop Hornbeam, is a tough and hardy tree found across the state, mainly on superior, well-drained soils or gravel ridges with other hardwoods.
The bark of the Ironwood tree is light gray-brown and around 14 inches thick. The bark is beautifully split into small, thin scales that rub off readily. The tree can grow to be 20 to 40 feet tall and 5 to 12 inches in diameter.
It has a broad, rounded crown with long, slender branches that droop at the ends. The leaves of the Ironwood tree are alternating, oblong, and have narrow ends. They have a length of 2 to 4 inches and are double-toothed along the borders. The leaves are dark, dull yellow-green on top and light yellow-green on the bottom.
The Ironwood tree has fruit in the form of clusters of leafy bracts with one flattened, ribbed, hard nutlet about 13 inches long and 18 inches wide. In July and August, the fruit matures. The nuts of the Ironwood tree are as hard as its wood and have numerous use. The tree gets its common name from the quality of its wood and the hop-like fruit it produces.
The wood of the Ironwood tree is solid, robust, hefty, and long-lasting. It has light brown sapwood that is dense and pale. The wood is frequently used for fence posts, tool handles, mallets, and other tiny goods. It can also be used as fuel.
8. Black Oak
- Common Name: Black Oak
- Scientific Name: Quercus velutina
- Mature Height: 50-75 feet
- Native/Non-Native: Native
- Flowers/Cones: Light brown acorns
- Uses: Construction, interior finish, furniture, pulp, ties, fuel; tannin and a yellow dye can be made from bark.
The Black Oak is a huge oak native to the United States’ southern portion. It can grow to be 75 feet tall and 3 feet in diameter. On huge trees, the crown is wide and irregularly formed, and the trunk is clear for 20 feet or more.
As the tree ages, the bark of the Black Oak changes. It is smooth and dark brown on young trees. It gets thick and black on elder trees, with deep furrows and uneven, broken ridges. Tannic acid causes the inner bark to be brilliant yellow and acrid.
The alternating leaves of the Black Oak are 5 to 8 inches long and 3 to 5 inches wide. The leaves are lobed halfway to the midrib and bristle-tipped at the tips. The upper surface of mature leaves is thick, dark green, and lustrous, while the lower surface is light and covered with down. Rusty brown hairs can be observed in the vein forks, allowing them to be distinguished from ordinary oak leaves.
The light brown acorns produced by the Black Oak mature in the second season. They are 1 12-inch to 1-inch long and slightly spherical. The nut is typically covered 12 to 34 in a thin, dark brown, scaly cup, leaving 12 to 34 exposed. The acorn kernel of Black Oak is yellow and exceedingly bitter.
The Black Oak is commonly used in building, interior finishing, furniture, pulp, ties, and fuel. Tannin and yellow dye can also be extracted from the bark of the tree.
The Black Oak is typically found in the southern half of the state on arid uplands, gravel slopes, and hills. It should be noted, however, that the tree is prone to oak wilt, therefore it is critical to keep them healthy and disease-free.
9. Bur Oak
- Scientific Name: Quercus macrocarpa
- Common Name: Bur Oak
- Mature Height: 80 feet or more under favorable conditions, diameter 3 to 4 feet
- Native/Non-Native: Native
- Uses: Furniture, Timber, woodworking, etc.
The Bur Oak is an excellent choice if you want a huge, native tree with strong wood and delicious nuts. Under ideal conditions, Bur Oak trees can reach heights of 80 feet or more and have a diameter of 3 to 4 feet.
However, in adverse conditions, they often grow to a height of no more than 25 feet. Bur Oaks often grow in the open, with a large top of heavy, spreading branches and a relatively short stem.
Bur Oak bark is thick and dark gray to black, heavily furrowed on the surface into uneven, plate-like breaking scales. Smaller branches’ bark develops corky wings or ridges, lending the tree a gnarled aspect.
Bur Oak leaves are 6 to 10 inches long and 3 to 6 inches wide, crowded at the tips of twigs, and resemble white oak in appearance. They do have two deep indentations near the bottom, as well as wavy notches on the broad middle and upper parts. The top of the Bur Oak leaf is dark green, with a lighter, hairy underside.
These trees bear acorns that are embedded deeply or almost completely within a fringed, burr-like crown. The ovoid-shaped acorns can grow to be 1 inch in diameter or larger, but the size and degree to which the nut is encased in the mossy fringed cup vary greatly. The seed is bitter and only matures in one season.
Bur oak is found throughout the state and favors damp, well-drained soils. It is the common oak of the “oak openings” in the state’s southwest. Bur Oak wood is heavy, hard, powerful, resilient, and durable, with a rich brown heartwood. Its applications are comparable to white oak, making it an ideal choice for furniture, flooring, and cabinets. Furthermore, both wildlife and humans consume the delectable Bur Oak nuts.
10. Chinkapin Oak
- Common Name: Chinkapin Oak
- Scientific Name: Quercus muehlenbergii
- Mature Height: 80 to 100 feet
- Native/Non-Native: Native
- Flowers/Cones: Acorns grow singly or in pairs
The Chinkapin Oak is a medium to big deciduous tree that can reach 100 feet in height and 4 feet in diameter. This tree’s bark is light gray, and thin, and splits into loose scales.
The leaves are frequently densely packed at the tips of the short branches and have sharp, incurving teeth. The leaves have a light yellow-green upper surface and a pale underside covered in small short hairs.
The Chinkapin Oak is a native of southern Wisconsin, where it grows in small patches on limestone slopes, lush bottomlands, and rocky stream banks. It can be found in southeastern Waukesha County, all the way up to the Rock River above Janesville, and up the Mississippi to Lynxville, Wisconsin.
This tree bears acorns that grow singly or in pairs, each containing a pleasant and edible seed. A thin cup covers half of the nut’s length.
The wood of the Chinkapin Oak is similar to white oak and of comparable grade, albeit with more knots.
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Common Nut Trees In Wisconsin – 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.
- Trees Of Ohio, Division Of Wildlife
- Trees Of Ohio Field Guide, Book by Stan Tekiela
- Ohio Trees, OSU Extension Publications
- Native Plant Lists, Ohio Department Of Natural Resources
- Ohio Department Of Agriculture
- Gardening, The Ohio State University
