Great Wall Nuts

DISCOVER

Chinese hickory nuts

Explore Chinese hickory (Carya cathayensis), the nuts associated with Lin'an in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. An English-language resource on the species, its regional traditions and how it differs from other hickories and pecans.

Read the Chinese hickory guide

Photo: Na Jia, Chengjin Fu, Kai Chen and Jiuqing Liu / CaryaData / CC BY 4.0. Resized for web; background presentation cropped.

 

Get to know Chinese hickory

Start with the species, then explore the place and traditions behind it. These guides introduce Chinese hickory to readers discovering it for the first time.

Great Wall Nuts is an information project. We are not currently selling nuts or accepting orders.

Shelled Chinese hickory kernels on a white background
The nut

Learn what Chinese hickory (Carya cathayensis) is and how it relates to other hickories and pecans.

Photo: King of Hearts / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for web.

Two green Chinese hickory fruits showing the ridged seams of their husks
The place

Explore Lin'an, a district of Hangzhou in Zhejiang, and its connection with Chinese hickory. Pictured: fruits in their green husks in Lin'an.

Photo: Na Jia, Chengjin Fu, Kai Chen and Jiuqing Liu / CaryaData / CC BY 4.0. Resized for web; uncropped composition.

Shelled Chinese hickory kernels on a white background
The traditions

Read about preparing and enjoying these nuts, while distinguishing local practices from general hickory advice. Pictured: shelled kernels.

Photo: King of Hearts / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for web.

About the project

Great Wall Nuts began with curiosity about the native nuts associated with Lin'an and how they differ from the pecans and hickories familiar to many overseas readers.

Two green Chinese hickory fruits showing the ridged seams of their husks

A resource for curious readers

Our focus is Chinese hickory (Carya cathayensis): the species, its regional context and food traditions. We aim to make these subjects easier to explore in English.

The project is informational today. We are building a useful resource before considering any future sales. We do not claim to own orchards, certify products or represent a research institution.

Learn more about Great Wall Nuts or browse the guides.

Chinese hickory fruits in Lin'an. Photo: Na Jia, Chengjin Fu, Kai Chen and Jiuqing Liu / CaryaData / CC BY 4.0. Resized for web; uncropped composition.