Yellowhorn

Xanthoceras sorbifolium

Macadamia-like nuts on a small drought-hardy tree with showy white flowers.

Type: small tree · nut trees
Hardiness: zones 4 to 8
Light: full sun
Size: about 20 ft tall, 15 ft wide
Harvest: August to September
From: N. China
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.

Good for: food, pollinators.

Native to: East Asia, Central Asian steppe. Hardy in zones 4 to 8.

The story

Yellowhorn grows on the dry loess hills of north China and Mongolia, where its oily seeds have been eaten and pressed for lamp oil since the Ming; it survives drought and -30°F and is being planted across China's dry north as an oil and nut crop.

Planting

Full sun, dry, drained, even alkaline soil; plant in spring. Slow, to 20 feet, with white flowers in May. Self-fertile but better in pairs.

Growing

Water the first two summers, then never; it rots with water. No pruning needed.

Harvest and use

Capsules split in late summer; roast the seeds like chestnuts or press for oil. The flowers and young leaves are cooked in China.

What to watch for

Wet soil; otherwise nothing.

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General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home