Carya laciniosa
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- KAIR-yuh la-sin-ee-OH-suh
- Description
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Shellbark Hickory is a large deciduous tree in the walnut family that occurs mainly in Ohio and upper Mississippi River valleys. It grows 60-80 feet tall but can reach up to 100 feet with a narrow round to elliptical crown.
Plant in humusy rich medium to wet soils in full to part sun and can tolerate temporary flooding in the spring. Give it plenty of room to grow. The nuts are sweet and produced on trees 10-20 years of age. This tree supports many wildlife species.
Unfortunately, this tree is threatened in its native habitat.
This plant is a food source for the young larvae of the Hickory horndevil (Citheronia regalis) moth.
- 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:
- laciniosa
- Family:
- Juglandaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Used to make tool handles, sporting goods, furniture, cabinets, and veneer. Also used as fuelwood and charcoal.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Canada, central to eastern U.S.A., NC
- Distribution:
- Found in Maine, PA, NY south through GA west to TX north through OK, NB, Missouri, IO east through IL, IN, MI and Ontario
- Wildlife Value:
- The leaves of the shellbark hickory are eaten by deer and other browsers while the nuts are consumed by deer, bears, foxes, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, wild turkey and other animals. It provides nutrition for bees in early to late spring. 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 sweet and edible.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 100 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- 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
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- The thick husk is green when young and becomes brown with maturity and is split into 4 sections. The nut is egg-shaped and tan in color and matures in the fall.
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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:
- 2-3 inch long yellow-green male catkins. Female flowers are produced in clusters of 2-6 on the same twigs as the catkins
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The dark green odd-pinnate compound leaves have 5-9, but usually, 7 leaflets that are 4-8 inches long and 1- 2.5 inches across. They are broadly lance-shaped and pointed with fine teeth. The fall color is yellow to yellow-brown.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Exfoliating
- Ridges
- Scaly
- Smooth
- Bark Plate Shape:
- Irregular
- Bark Description:
- The bark is initially smooth and gray with shallow interlacing ridges, later developing long, loose plates, resulting in a shaggy appearance.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Young twigs are pale to medium brown with orange lenticels. They have hairs early in the season but become smooth later on.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Attracts:
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
