GaryR
Nordic Pine
Where I live in southern Indiana is famous for its hardwood forests. In addition to oaks (20 species!) walnut, cherry, beech sycamore, etc, there are half a dozen species of hickory (Carya). My favorite is Carya ovata, commonly called shagbark hickory. It is dropping seeds now and I've gathered a few to try to start some seedlings. The trick is to get to them before the squirrels do. There are several large trees along the road where I walk the dogs so I've been stopping to pick them up. The large ones are the shagbark seeds and the smaller ones are from the bitternut hickory, Carya cordiformis. When dry the husks split open. The seeds are edible and taste good to me but too much work to make them a regular habit.
They need to be cold stratified for 120 days or so before they will germinate. I tried last winter but I had them outdoors where the squirrels could get to them and they ate them all.
They need to be cold stratified for 120 days or so before they will germinate. I tried last winter but I had them outdoors where the squirrels could get to them and they ate them all.