Shellbark Hickory (Carya laciniosa)
Identifying Features
Plant Family: Juglandaceae
Native Range: Eastern and Central North America
Leaf: deciduous, alternate, pinnately compound, 7 leaflets, leaflet edges finely toothed
Twig and Bud: twigs stout, buds very large
Flower, Fruit and Seed: fruit is a large nut with hard husk that splits into quarters
Bark: shaggy with long peeling strips of bark on mature trees
Shape and Mature Height: Shellbark hickories are tall trees with the potential to grow more than 100 feet tall
Garden Value and Considerations
Shellbark hickories prefer well-drained, moist soil but can tolerate areas with drier soils or periodic flooding. The leaves turn yellow to golden-brown in fall and the exfoliating bark provides multi-season interest.
Notes
Shellbark hickories are native trees frequently found growing in swamps and bottomlands along the Wabash, Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Shellbark hickories are also called kingnut hickories because their edible nuts are the largest of the hickories. Hickory nuts are an important food source for wildlife. They are so relished by squirrels and other animals that the nuts are quickly rendered to nothing more than piles of chewed husks. Hickories also serve as a host plant for more than 200 species of butterfly and moth caterpillars.
