Carya ovata
Common name: Shagbark Hickory
One of the best tasting nuts around, that is, if you can find it and then beat the gauntlet of squirrels to get it. The longer we have grown this plant and observe it in the wild the more we believe that it requires a fair amount of shade early in its development. In fact, we have noticed that plants in the field grow twice as fast when they have a weed tree growing in the same root bag! Without the shade this is a very slow growing plant. Even with it, it only grows at a clip of 6” to 8” per year. The shaggy bark takes years to develop, and how many years is a matter for debate. Does well in full sun on mesic to dry soil. Fall color is a clear and sometimes loud yellow.
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Plant Details
Plant type
Trees
Soil type
Dry Mesic, Mesic (Not too Wet Not too Dry), Moist Mesic
Light exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun / Part Shade
Bloom period
Spring
Urban environment
Uncompacted Urban Soils, Requires Protected Site
Habitat
Prairie Grasslands, Woodlands
Growth form
Single trunk
Growth rate
Slow
Flower color
Yellowish Catkin
Fall color
Yellow
Size
- Mature height
- 40 Feet
- Mature width
- 30 Feet
- Max height
- 70 Feet
- Max width
- 50 Feet
Additional information
Butterfly host plant Great for Screening/Border Plantings Great Shade Tree Loved by birds Pollinator hot spot Edible fruit