Heartnuts are not well-known yet in the United States. These Japanese walnuts have the advantage of easy cracking and shelling. Their common name derives from the shape of the nut, which will often shell in half without breaking further. These nuts are good fresh, sold retail or wholesale as well as processed like English walnuts. Their canopy tends to spread out more than grow upright, giving an added layer to a fruit and/or nut orchard. Look for grafted trees for a consistent crop.