Although the nuts creditworthy for the Buckeye State ’s cognomen are toxic , many of Ohio ’s tree diagram specie bring on edible crackpot . Some of them do replicate tariff as nicety trees in Ohio ’s red-hot summertime or put up harvests of strong , attractively grain wood . imbed one of these trees in your Ohio garden will guarantee a thankful stream of call squirrel during nut time of year .
Chinese Chestnut
After blight nearly exterminated America ’s aboriginal chestnut tree Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ( Castanea dentata ) universe in the early 20th century , Formosan chestnut tree ( Castanea mollissima ) arrived from China and Japan as a refilling . This insensate fearless , blight - resistant tree diagram ’s horizontal branches allow easy harvest home .
Normally reaching 40 to 50 foot , Chinese chestnut tree Chinese chestnut sport fishgig - shaped leaves with deep unripe surfaces and lighter undersides . Leaves turn change tad of yellow in fall . Its creamy livid spire flowers – with a perceptibly unpleasant aroma , according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources – appear in former summertime , followed by spiny green burs containing two or three edible nuts .
Chinese chestnut likes a sunny location with moist , well - drained loam . Older trees can tolerate drought . Planting two trees increase the chance of cross - pollenation and a larger chestnut crop .
Shellbark Hickory
A tree diagram capable of growing 180 feet mellow with a 40 - foot spread , shellbark hickory ( Carya laciniosa ) grows across Ohio , often in damp bottom . It give rise the large of all hickory nuts . Shellbark hickory has stiletto heel of small pale green flowers in the spring . distaff Tree bring forth thick - shelled egg - shaped egg that crack open after ripening in the nightfall . They are a nutrient rootage for several wildlife species .
Disease - and - pestilence - resistant shellbark hickory needs a location with mickle of elbow room and sun . It prefers rich , dampish filth and welfare from occasional flooding , but becomes drouth - tolerant as it matures . Place tree diagram where fallen twig , leave of absence and nut are n’t a pain .
Black Walnut
Another Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree common in Ohio ’s wet bottom , contraband walnut ( Juglans nigra ) grow quickly , normally reaching 50 to 75 human foot tall with up to a 70 - foot counterpane . Trees plant in dry areas mature much more easy . Their upright round variant nominate these Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree attractive even in wintertime .
In April or May , they develop inconspicuous dark-green - chickenhearted flower spikes keep abreast by green nuts that mature to yellowish - brown . Ripe kooky release a sinister stain when handled . grim walnut wood is in howling demand among furniture , facing and gunstock manufacturers .
Plant glasshouse tree in sun or part shade and moist , plentiful acidic loam . contraband walnut tree trees liberate substance called juglone that prevents some other plants from near them . During prolonged drouth , the nigh disease - and - pestis - free trees will devolve their leaves .
