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This is an acorn that I've found in abundance is Rockford, Illinois, USA. I think it may be a red or black oak but I'm not sure. It has a very distinct look with the line showing separating the two halves.

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Jeremy C. Erickson
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I'm pretty sure that the nut is one of the less-common hickories - probably bitternut (Carya cordiformis). The nut of this species is very smooth and does not have ridges like other hickories. It also has the same point at the bottom that's in your photo, and appears to have a central line. Here are some photos:

Pignut https://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/57394/

Bitternut http://www.friendsofeloisebutler.org/pages/plants/hickory_bitternut.html (go to the bottom of the page for the photo)

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-bitter-nut-hickory-bitternut-hockory-carya-cordiformis-nuts-with-husks-7321191.html

Lots of hickories https://iythealth.com/hickory-tree-nuts/ (great photo of a number of species at about the middle of the page)

The bitternut's range is correct for you - it's found throughout Illinois and into central Wisconsin.

Jurp
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  • I was so happy to find hickories in my transplanted state. Nuts turned out to be horribly bitter. Might have to move back to Shagbark country. – Wayfaring Stranger Apr 20 '18 at 03:52
  • Everywhere I have collected these have been under oak trees. I don't even know where a single hickory tree is around my neighborhood (my collection site). Also these all started to grow after the cold stratification where several other identified acorns never developed. Any guess as to why? – Jeremy C. Erickson Apr 20 '18 at 21:19
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    Is the nut you pictured cylindrical or kind of flattened? – Jurp Apr 21 '18 at 00:39
  • It's definitely flatened – Jeremy C. Erickson Apr 21 '18 at 19:39
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    Then it's not an acorn: https://www.wikihow.com/Identify-Oaks-by-the-Acorns. I realize that wikis aren't great references, but this one seems more correct than most. Note that in Midwest woods, Oaks and Hickories grow together. If your neighborhood was built in an Oak-Hickory woods, then it's likely there are hickories there. Also note that Bitternuts aren't shagbarks. – Jurp Apr 21 '18 at 23:24
  • The bitternuts are star shaped with multiple lines at the corners. This has only 2 sides with only the one line down the middle and I have pictures of the leaves which are not compound. If there a way to add a pic of them, please let me know. Thanks! @jurp – Jeremy C. Erickson Apr 24 '18 at 22:00
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    Shagbark hickories are roughly star-shaped, but bitternuts are flattened, with a central seam, like the one you pictured. Here are some examples; https://sheffields.com/seeds-for-sale/Carya/cordiformis///////358/Bitternut-Hickory/Bitternut-Hickory ---- You should be able to add the leaf photos (which I'd love to see!) by editing your original post. The instructions should be in the "Help Center". – Jurp Apr 25 '18 at 11:24
  • I posted two new pics with the leaves. Its 15" tall now. @jurp – Jeremy C. Erickson Apr 25 '18 at 12:35
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    Nice pictures. The leaves in the second photo look like filbert/hazelnut (Corylus americana), but the nut does NOT look like your common filbert nut. The nut certainly looks like a member of the walnut family (which includes hickories, of course), but I believe that all members of that family have pinnately compound leaves. Obvious question (and pardon me for asking it), but you're absolutely sure the trees sprouted from the nut you asked about? – Jurp Apr 26 '18 at 00:45
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    After checking some references, the only other possible common species seems to be American Beech, but the nut shape and range is wrong. The Corylus range is correct, at least. I don't suppose that the nut has a "cap scar" on it that wasn't pictured? – Jurp Apr 26 '18 at 01:43
  • I've actually have grown three already with 4 more sprouting from those seeds that look identical. However, I seedling appears to be developing compound leaves but it's way too small to know for sure, only a few inches tall. @jurp – Jeremy C. Erickson Apr 26 '18 at 13:10
  • I'll check for any cap scars and send a pic of I can find one. Thanks @jurp ! – Jeremy C. Erickson Apr 26 '18 at 13:12
  • I added 3 new pics of one growing with clearly defined compound leaves and the original nuts look identical. I'm really confused! @Jurp – Jeremy C. Erickson Apr 26 '18 at 19:33
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    The new pics sure look like a hickory. What kind of soil did you plant the older ones in? Where the buckets ever outside in the fall? I used to get cottonwoods and maples in pots left outdoors in the fall/winter - and occasionally a horsechestnut. Perhaps a squirrel planted a filbert or something else? – Jurp Apr 27 '18 at 22:59
  • I cold stratified them over winter then put them in a mix of seed starting media (coconut stuff) & perlite then repotted them using the same plus regular potting soil. All of the seeds were kept together in a bag in the fridge separated from others based on their type. They all looked identical. Could it be some type of cross pollination, there are walnut trees around? And they've been growing at different rates, ending up with completely different sized seedlings. So far 4", 6", 14" and the new compound leaf seedling is growing very quickly (as seen in the pic). It's already 5.5" tall. @Jurp – Jeremy C. Erickson Apr 29 '18 at 02:17
  • @Jurp what do you think.about the cross pollination idea? – Jeremy C. Erickson May 01 '18 at 11:47
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    I know that cross-pollination can occur among closely-related plants like canteloupe and pumpkins (I once planted Seed Savers melons and wound up with cantakins), but I've never heard of it among trees. The only way you'd get something like the last photo as a cross would be among members of the same family - the Walnut family, in this case (hickories are members of that family). That definitely looks like a hickory (five leaflets) and not a walnut, but the leaves at this point are too toothy for a bitternut. Does that seedling smell like a walnut? – Jurp May 02 '18 at 12:15
  • Whereabouts in Wisconsin do you live? I'm asking because, if possible, I'd like to bring my two trees from the same looking nuts plus 2 plain nuts and talk to you in person about them. I live in Rockford. I believe you can click on my profile and message me personaly. – Jeremy C. Erickson May 03 '18 at 15:13
  • @jurp the last comment was meant for you. I didn't notice any smell to it but that could just be me. Thanks for everything. – Jeremy C. Erickson May 04 '18 at 00:03
  • @jurp it actually has 7 leaflets now that's it's a bit more grown – Jeremy C. Erickson May 05 '18 at 14:46
  • Now that it has grown a lot more it appears to definitely be a bitternut hickory. I've added a couple new pics. @jurp – Jeremy C. Erickson May 16 '18 at 16:14
  • It's still weird that the other seedling was not a hickory - somehow something else wound up in that pot. – Jurp May 17 '18 at 01:54