My husband noticed a tree on our property that has nuts on it. He thinks it is a walnut tree, but the leaf pattern does not look like the circular fern-like leaf pattern that our TN walnut trees have. Does anyone know if this is indeed a walnut tree? The nut has a pine-like scent. Thanks!

Looks like a hickory of some sort. Would need to get a look at the bark to have a better idea of which one.

KentPfeiffer said:Looks like a hickory of some sort. Would need to get a look at the bark to have a better idea of which one.

I will get a shot of the bark tomorrow. Thanks!

The leaves and fruits are different depending which sp it is.
Maybe this link will help.


http://bioimages.vanderbilt.ed...

Scroll down for more images.

This is a single leaf from Carya ovata.

https://www.auburn.edu/academi...

While the single leaf of Carya cordiformis is very different.

https://www.auburn.edu/academi...

Bark pictures.

Silversurfer said:The leaves and fruits are different depending which sp it is.
Maybe this link will help.
http://bioimages.vanderbilt.ed...

Scroll down for more images.

This is a single leaf from Carya ovata.
https://www.auburn.edu/academi...

While the single leaf of Carya cordiformis is very different.
https://www.auburn.edu/academi...

This is challenging. I checked out all the links and I don't see a nut that really resembles the ones on our tree. Maybe it's because they are still so small.

Okay, I took this pic today, and based on this, the leaves of the tree, and the bark, I have determined that this is a Carya ovalis (Wangenh.)

Thank you SilverSurfer and Kent Pfeiffer for your help! It is greatly appreciated.

Hmm! Not sure that Carya ovalis is correct.

http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dend...

According to the site above..".Fruit: Nearly globose, 1 to 1 1/2 inches, with a thin husk that mostly splits to base upon maturation, nut is not ribbed and the seed is usually sweet, matures in early fall."

But I am only familliar with a couple of Carya and am rather rusty.

Silversurfer said:Hmm! Not sure that Carya ovalis is correct.

http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dend...

According to the site above..".Fruit: Nearly globose, 1 to 1 1/2 inches, with a thin husk that mostly splits to base upon maturation, nut is not ribbed and the seed is usually sweet, matures in early fall."

But I am only familliar with a couple of Carya and am rather rusty.

Thank you for your comment, Silversurfer. I went out to check on the nuts to see what they look like now, and they're all gone. I suppose the squirrels have absconded with them. Oh well.

Hickory? Just a random guess here. When I saw the fruit, I thought 'pecan.'

Well it looks like a Young ?Carya ovalis ) Shagbark Hickory to me.
The nut (fruit ) looks a little square has the Four part coating ,
looks like it to me

Reminds me of shagbark hickory too. They're native here and edible.

Thanks everyone!! Shagbark Hickory.

I would say from the images presented thus far that this is NOT Shagbark Hickory, as suggested by others. Carya ovata will have longitudinal strips of bark (up and down the trunk) peeling away at each end - on trees of the size you've shown. Your tree does not exhibit this trait.

I still say: take more pictures of key parts of your tree. It appears to be quite healthy, and you are able to reach branches, twigs, leaves, and buds. Prune off one or several, and lay them down where you can take exhaustive definitive images. I noted in my previous post on the Trees and Shrubs forum that differences are often subtle, and you won't make out those traits from twenty paces.