ABSTRACT
The butternut is native to the area bounded by southwestern New Brunswick west to Georgian Bay in Ontario and Minnesota, and south to Virginia, Georgia, Arkansas, and Kansas. Butternut grows best in valleys, along river banks, and on hillsides, but occurs occasionally in dry, stony habitats, particularly if the soil is chalky. The flavor of the butternut is agreeable, although some people object to its strong, oily taste. Butternuts have been used in candy, ice cream, cakes, cookies, and even in pickles and ketchup. The fruits mature in late summer or early fall, at which time they are very sticky and are advisedly collected with gloves. The nuts can be cracked with a heavy-duty nutcracker, hammer, or a vice, and the nutmeat removed with a nutpick, and consumed raw. The butternut is seriously threatened by disease and, pessimistically, its future could be as bleak as that of the American chestnut and American elm.
