Bitter Water Hickory Carya aquatica
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Bitter Water Hickory:
- Phonetic Spelling
- KAIR-yuh a-KWA-tee-kuh
- Description
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Water Hickory is a large native deciduous shade tree in the walnut family. It is a major component of wetland forests now in the southeastern US, because of the selective cutting by the lumber industry. It is considered important in cleansing water runoff during flooding. It is very tolerant of wet soils but grows best on well-drained moist soils near rivers and other waterways. It can spread aggressively by both seeds and sprouts from the roots.
The spring male and female flowers give way to nuts that are bitter but enjoyed by waterfowl and small mammals. It is slow-growing and generally doesn't produce nuts until after the age of 20 years. It can reach heights of up to 100 feet or more with a narrow irregular crown. Propagate this tree by moist stratification of the seeds.
If you have a pond or stream or other moist to wet areas with plenty of space this tree would work well for you. It has good wildlife value. It is a food source for the larvae of moths, including Luna moth (Actias luna), Hickory leafroller moth (Argyrotaenia juglandana), and Royal walnut moth (Citheronia regalis)
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Carya
- Species:
- aquatica
- Family:
- Juglandaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Used as firewood.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central to southeastern U.S.A., NC
- Distribution:
- Found in VI south to FL west to TX and OK north to Missouri, IL, ID, and KY
- Wildlife Value:
- Bitter nuts are eaten by ducks and other birds. Larval host plant to Luna moths, funeral dagger moths, and giant regal moths. This plant supports Hickory Horndevil (Citheronia regalis) larvae which have one brood and appear from May to mid-September. Adult Hickory Horndevil moths do not feed.
- Play Value:
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Food Source
- Edibility:
- Nuts are bitter
- Dimensions:
- Height: 80 ft. 0 in. - 100 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Irregular
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasional Flooding
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- The nut is in a fuzzy yellow to brown husk. The 1-1.5 inch nut is oval to egg-shaped and flattened.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Catkin
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Male flowers occur in hanging slender yellow-green catkins 2-3 inches long. Female flowers are in short spikes or stalks and are very small and yellow-green.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The dark green glossy compound leaves have 7-15 curved lance-shaped serrated leaflets with fine hairs along the midrib and major veins on the undersides.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Scaly
- Shaggy
- Smooth
- Bark Plate Shape:
- Rectangle
- Bark Description:
- Smooth light grey to brown bark that splits into narrow loose shaggy red-tinged scales with age.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Hairy
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Only 1 terminal bud, larger than side buds
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Reddish-brown twigs with yellowish terminal buds.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Pond
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Water Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Attracts:
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Wet Soil
