White Hickory Carya tomentosa
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called White Hickory:
Previously known as:
- Carya alba
- Phonetic Spelling
- KAIR-yuh toh-men-TOH-suh
- Description
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Mockernut Hickory is a large deciduous tree that is native to eastern and central USA and can be found in all areas of NC. It is fairly slow growing and will reach heights of 50 to 80 feet tall or more. The crown is rounded and dense. The tree takes 25 years before producing the edible nut but can continue producing for 200 years. It is a strong, straight trunk tree and the wood is used to make various items and for firewood. The wood is mostly white except for the small heartwood, hence the common name.
This tree is adaptable to both sandy and clay loam with good drainage and is drought tolerant once established. It does best in full sun in rich moist soil with lots of room to grow. A deep taproot makes it difficult to transplant.
Use this tree in a park, large yard for shade or naturalized areas.
An important food source for the larvae of both the Banded hairstreak (Satyrium calanus) butterfly and the Hickory horndevil (Citheronia regalis) moth.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Generally no serious problems. Potential insects are: hickory bark beetle, pecan weevil, borers and twig girdler. Whiteheart rot, anthracnose, leaf blotch, powdery mildew, leaf spot, cankers, catlin blight, crown gall, and scab are occasional diseases.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Woodland Backyard Garden Walk
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Carya
- Species:
- tomentosa
- Family:
- Juglandaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Used as lumber, pulpwood, charcoal, fuelwood, veneer, ladder rungs, athletic goods, agricultural implements, dowels, gymnasium apparatus, poles, shafts, well pumps, furniture, pallets, blocking
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- S. Ontario to Central & E. U.S.A
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MO , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , WV
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- The Mockernut hickory is a host plant for Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus) caterpillars which have one flight from June-August everywhere but Florida where they emerge April-May and many moths including the Luna moth. This is a larval host plant for butterflies and moths. It also supports Hickory Horndevil (Citheronia regalis) which have one brood and appear from May to mid-September. Adult Hickory Horndevil moths do not feed. The nuts are eaten by squirrels, chipmunks and black bears. Fruit is consumed by wood ducks, red-bellied woodpeckers, red fox, squirrels, beaver, eastern cottontail, eastern chipmunk, turkey, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and white-footed mice. Provide cavities for woodpeckers, black ratsnake, raccoons, and carolina chickadees
- Play Value:
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Deer. Fire in the landscape. Heat and drought tolerant.
- Edibility:
- Nuts are edible by humans but shells are hard to crack
- Dimensions:
- Height: 60 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Native Plant
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Broad
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Coarse
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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 Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Description:
- 4-segmented husks are 1.5-3 inches wide and are green maturing to yellow then brown. Contains 1 light brown oval slightly compressed nut with a thick shell and edible seeds. Displays in October.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Catkin
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Size:
- 3-6 inches
- Flower Description:
- It has both male and female flowers that are non-showy. The male flowers are drooping greenish-yellow catkins up to 6" long. The female flowers are on short spikes with a feathery reddish stigmata being exerted from the green calyx. Blooms from April to May.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 9-20 inch long compound leaves are alternate, odd-pinnate and dark yellowish-green. They have 5 to 7 toothed ovate-lanceolate leaflets that are 3-6 inches long by 1-2 inches wide. Bases are cuneate to rounded and tips are tapered and acute. Undersides have orange-brown hairs. The stem is covered with resinous, pungent hairs and is aromatic when cut or bruised. The leaves turn an attractive yellow in fall.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Furrowed
- Ridges
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- The bark of both young and old trees exhibit smooth, rounded interlacing ridges with shallow furrows.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Hairy
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Only 1 terminal bud, larger than side buds
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The bark of branches is gray and smooth. Twigs are gray to grayish brown and stout. Young shoots are light green, light brown, or brown, densely pubescent. The terminal and stem buds are large at 1/2-3/4 inch, ovoid, with brown scales with hairs giving it the common name of Big-bud Hickory.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Naturalized Area
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Edible Garden
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Fire
- Problems:
- Messy
