Edible Trees in the Catskill Mountains

Being able to identify edible plants, trees and herbs helps hikers and nature enthusiasts survive in emergency situations or if you find yourself hungry and unprepared. The trees considered edible in the Catskill Mountains all produce a fruit or nut that can be husked then consumed. These nuts can also be eaten as a trail snack or collected and brought home for cooking.

  1. Sweet Chestnuts

    • The sweet chestnut tree has produced a favorite edible nut since ancient Roman times and are also a popular snack during the holiday season. This common Catskill Mountains tree produces these nuts in a spiny green hull. Once removed from the hull, the nuts are smooth and a rich-ruby brown color, with a lighter brown top. The nuts are then punctured and boiled to soften them, making it easier to remove them from their inner hull and consume them. They are a good source of protein and have a rich sweet flavor.

    Shagbark Hickory

    • Shagbark hickories are not commercially grown for their nuts due to the large size inconsistency of nut production. They are, however, a Catskill tree tree that produces a flavorful and sweet edible nut. The nuts grow in small, lined green hulls. The kernel must be extracted from both the hull and the inner hard shell before consuming.

    Black Walnut

    • Black walnuts trees are grown commercially for the edible and sweet-tasting nuts they produce. These trees also make up a large portion of the forests of the Catskill Mountains. Black walnuts grow in a hard husk that is often difficult to crack by hand. Cracking the husk when it is still green by rolling it on a hard surface under your foot can make it easier to extract the nut. Black walnuts are high in unsaturated fats and protein.

    Beech

    • Beech trees are another edible tree that flourish in the Catskill mountains. These trees produce an edible fruit, called a "beechnut." Beechnuts grow in spurred pods about an inch in diameter, that crack open slightly when the fruit is ripe. The kernel must be removed from its seed coating before being eaten. Though beechnuts have an acidic flavor, they can provide you with calories and protein necessary for survival.

    Safety and Precautions

    • Eating any plant, nut, tree, foliage or herb that you have not properly identified can be dangerous. Many poisonous nuts and plants very closely resemble edible ones. Eating these poisonous plants can cause serious illness. Be careful when handling nuts with spiny hulls, as they can puncture your skin.