Identifying Tree Nuts: 8 Types of Nuts You Can Forage

A tree nut is any type of nut that grows from any type of tree species. You can find nuts like these in a variety of countries and climates. They can provide a useful and nutritious source of sustenance in a survival situation. Tree nuts of all kinds are generally quite high in protein, which you need for satiety and energy.

Many types of tree nuts have hulls (or husks) you need to break open in order to get to the edible part (or nutmeat) of this natural treat. Even though you’re unlikely to have a specially designed nutcracker on hand, you can break many nuts open with a strong and large enough rock or piece of wood.

Not all tree nuts are edible, especially raw—but luckily, many of them are. In certain cases, the toxic elements reside in the nuts’ shells—and you would need to discard these anyway. Bitter almonds are perhaps the most important tree nuts to avoid given how much havoc they can wreak on your system.

It’s also worth noting certain edible nuts still might not taste appetizing. For example, bitternut hickory nuts (Carya cordiformis) are safe to consume, but less appealing than their close relative shellbark hickory (Carya laciniosa). Similarly, pine nuts are edible, but in some cases, they can leave a metallic, bitter taste in your mouth for extended periods.

If you’re hunting for tree nuts in the wild, you’re in luck—these natural foods are copious in many areas and can serve as a safe, filling source of sustenance in a pinch. Here are eight edible nuts to keep in mind, as well as tips on how to identify each:

1. 1. Acorns: A common treat for squirrels, acorns are a safe nut for human consumption, too. Oaks are particularly common trees throughout North America, so if you see one, odds are you’ll find their acorn seedlings nearby. As these nuts ripen and drop to the ground, identify them by looking for a brown, hard shell with a top shaped like a beret.
2. 2. Beechnuts: As the name suggests, these nuts fall from beeches. Keep an eye out for the gray bark and toothed leaves of those trees as hints you might soon find beechnuts nearby. The nuts themselves often have spiny “hairs” on their husks and you’ll need to crack these open before consuming them.
3. 3. Cashews: Knowing your way around cashew tree identification will help you find cashews themselves in the wild, too. These short, bushy trees sprout fruits that look like bell peppers—and cashew nuts serve as the stems. It’s best to boil these nuts in hot water before consumption if you find them in the wild, as this will get rid of a rash-causing toxin in them.
4. 4. Chestnuts: These nuts are safe to eat but hard to crack. Their rich brown color and thick, smooth surface make chestnuts look like acorns missing their tops. Castanea dentata (or American chestnut trees) are endangered throughout the United States and Canada, so you might have a harder time finding those than other, more abundant alternatives (like buckeye chestnuts).
5. 5. Hickory nuts: The deciduous trees hickory nuts fall from are moderate growers, but they yield plenty of nuts when they come to maturity. Different types of these brown nuts—like shagbark hickory, mockernut hickory, pignut hickory, and so on—might vary in size and tint, but they almost always look like significantly smoother walnuts.
6. 6. Pecans: When these oblong nuts fall from pecan trees, they look like smoother and stretchier walnuts. It’s even easier to tell the difference if you break through the outer husk. When you crack pecan nuts open, they look waffley, crispy, and relatively flat.
7. 7. Pistachios: Many nuts start with green husks that turn light brown as they mature, but pistachios buck both trends. The nutmeat itself is green, while the husks are light brown. If you’re looking for an additional clue as to whether or not the nut you hold is a pistachio, check to see if any trees nearby have lush, compound leaves and bright green and pinkish bulbs.
8. 8. Walnuts: You might find many different types of walnuts in the wild. For instance, black walnut trees (Juglans nigra) produce dark brown nuts, whereas English walnut trees (Juglans regia) will drop light brown ones to the ground. Walnuts have round, bumpy husks and unwieldy nutmeat interiors.

Certain outdoor activities carry an elevated risk of serious injury. Wilderness scenarios require extensive survival gear, including but not limited to food, water, maps, protective clothing, and first aid, along with mental and physical fortitude. This article is for educational and informational purposes, and is not a substitute for hard skills and expertise.

Prepare for any outdoor journey by grabbing a MasterClass Annual Membership and committing Jessie Krebs’s wilderness survival course to memory. As a former United States Air Force Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape instructor, Jessie can teach you everything you need to know about packing for a trip (neon is the new black), purifying water, foraging (crickets: the other white meat), starting a fire, and signaling for help (forget SOS).