Nuts are one of nature’s perfect foods. Packed with protein, healthy fats fiber, vitamins, and minerals they offer a hearty and nutrient-dense snack. While we often see shelled nuts packaged up at the grocery store, there’s something special about seeing nuts growing on trees in their natural habitat. In this article, we’ll take a photographic tour of some of the most popular and delicious nuts straight from the source!
Almonds
The almond is one of the most widely cultivated nuts in the world. These tasty tree nuts are grown in orchards across warm, dry regions like California, Spain, Italy, Australia, and North Africa.
Almond trees blossom with pale pink and white flowers in the early spring. By mid-summer, small green fruits develop. These mature into the familiar almond nuts that we all know and love. When ripe the hulls split open to reveal the edible almond inside.
Fun fact – California produces 80% of the world’s almonds!
![Almonds growing on a tree][]
Walnuts
Walnuts come from large, beautiful walnut trees that can grow up to 130 feet tall! These impressive trees are native to certain regions of Europe, Asia, and North and South America.
Walnuts develop inside a soft green fruit. When ripe the fruit splits open and the walnut drops out. The light brown walnut shell protects the wrinkly walnut kernel inside.![Walnuts growing on a tree][]
Hazelnuts
Also known as filberts, hazelnuts grow in bushy clusters on hazelnut shrubs and trees. Major hazelnut producers include Turkey, Italy, Spain, and the United States (Oregon).
Hazelnuts are encased in a fuzzy green husk. When ripe, this husk splits open to reveal 1-5 hazelnuts inside. Hazelnuts are prized for their rich, nutty flavor and are delicious in both sweet and savory dishes.
Cashews
Cashews are native to Brazil but are widely grown in tropical regions of Asia and Africa today. These kidney-shaped nuts dangle from the bottom of cashew apples, the fruit of the cashew tree.
Cashews are always sold shelled since the shell contains a caustic resin that can irritate the skin. The curved, ivory-colored cashew kernel is delicately flavored and makes cashews a popular snack nut.![Cashew nuts growing on a tree][]
Pecans
Pecans are a tasty tree nut native to North America. These rich, buttery nuts grow on large pecan trees in warm regions like New Mexico, Texas, Georgia, and Mississippi.
The pecan kernels develop inside a smooth green husk which splits open when ripe. Pecan shells are thick and need to be cracked open to enjoy the delicious meat inside.
Fun fact – it takes about 11 years for a pecan tree to produce its first nut harvest!![Pecan nuts growing on a tree][]
Pistachios
A pistachio tree takes about 10-12 years to mature enough to produce nuts. After that, it can keep producing pistachios for over 40 years! These pretty trees with bluish-green leaves originally came from the Middle East. Today, pistachios are also grown in the United States, Turkey, Australia and China.
When ripe, pistachio fruits split open revealing the familiar light green nut inside. The nuts grow in clusters which makes them very pretty to see on the tree!![Pistachio nuts growing in clusters on a tree][]
Macadamia Nuts
Macadamia nuts are native to Australia but also grow well in Hawaii. The macadamia kernel is ensconced in a very hard shell within a spiky green husk. Macadamia trees produce the nuts after about 7-10 years.
Macadamia nuts are prized for their rich, creamy flavor. However, their hard shells make them difficult to harvest and process. Next time you enjoy macadamias, appreciate the work that went into that delicious snack!![Macadamia nuts growing on trees in Hawaii][]
Acorn (Oak Nuts)
Oak trees produce acorn nuts which serve as an important food source for wildlife. There are over 600 species of oak that produce acorns. The acorns form inside a little cup called the cupule.
When ripe, acorns turn brown and drop out of the cupule. Animals like squirrels, mice, deer, and bears all enjoy eating the nutritious acorns. Humans can eat acorns too but they require some processing first to remove the bitter tannins.![Oak acorns growing on a tree][]
Chestnuts
Chestnut trees produce large, delicious nuts encased in a spiny green shell. Chestnuts grow on both American chestnut trees and European sweet chestnut trees.
When ripe, the prickly outer shell splits open to reveal 2-3 glossy brown chestnuts inside. Chestnuts can be roasted, boiled, candied, or ground into nut flour for cooking.
Fun fact – Chestnut blight decimated American chestnut trees in the 1900s but they are making a comeback through breeding programs!![Chestnuts growing with spiky outer husk][]
Seeing nuts growing on trees gives you an appreciation for mother nature’s bounty. It’s amazing that so many delicious and nutrient-packed foods grow naturally this way. Although we’re used to buying packaged nuts, there’s nothing quite like gathering them straight from the source. Next time you snack on some almonds, pistachios, or walnuts, try to picture them growing on the tree!
Why Cashew Nuts Are So Expensive | So Expensive
FAQ
What kind of nuts come from trees?
What are the tree nuts list?
What kind of nuts fall from trees?
What are the different types of nut trees?
The most common nut tree types include pecan, hazelnut, almond, chestnut, cashew, pistachio, hickory, macadamia, pine nut, black walnut, English walnut, Brazil nut, butternut, oak nut (acorn), Pili nut, beech, and Ginkgo nut tree. Each of them has unique characteristics and features that can help you identify them among others.
How do you identify a nut tree?
there are a few key things to look for when identifying nut trees. First, consider the leaves. Nut trees typically have compound leaves, meaning they are made up of multiple leaflets. Second, look for the flowers. Nut trees typically produce either male or female flowers, and they are often found in different locations on the tree.
How do you identify a nut or seed?
Nuts and seeds are really easy to find both down on the earth and up in the trees, providing wonderful clues about the trees that grow in an area. The main things to consider when attempting to identify a nut or tree seed, are: If you struggle identifying a particular nut or seed, you can always use other clues to help you narrow the tree down.
What is inside a tree nut?
Inside the hard shell of a tree nut lies the edible seed. This seed is what we commonly refer to as the nut itself. It is packed with essential nutrients and is the main reason why tree nuts are highly valued for their health benefits and culinary uses.