Identify hickory please

15 years ago

We have an old farm with the usual shagbark, black, and mockernut hickory trees. There is one unusual hickory tree we've been unable to I.D. The nuts fall about a month later than the other hickories. The hulls are about handball size, kind of oval, and avocado green. The shell looks like an English walnut - much larger and browner than other hickory nuts. The meat is much bigger and easier to get out also. It tastes closer to a pecan than a hickory nut. The girl at the information desk at the Conservation dept. said her father-in-law had a tree he called a "hickon" tree. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks to all who take the time to respond!

Comments (2)

razorback33
15 years ago
What you probably have is a hybrid between a Pecan (Carya illinoensis) and one of the Hickory (Carya sp.)trees, known as a "Hican".
The 2 are closely related and natural hybrids occur between the Pecan and several species of Hickory.
There has been an ongoing effort by a number of organizations to develop commercially productive cultivars to provide nuts for the marketplace.
A number of commercial Hican orchards are now in production, but I haven't found the nuts at any of my local markets.
Enjoy your prize and share the tasty nuts with your friends!
Rb
jqpublic
15 years ago
There are several types of hicans as the poster above indicated. I have a little sapling "Lecont Hican". It is a natural cross between the water hickory and pecan. I think it was first found in the south somewhere.
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