Common Name: Shagbark Hickory

General Information

Carya ovata is a deciduous tree usually growing around 21 - 24 metres tall but occasionally reaching 40 metres or more. The clear, straight trunk is around 30 - 60cm in diameter, but can reach 120cm[, ].
The plant is commonly harvested from the wild as a food, traditional medicine and source of a high quality wood. The tree is also harvested from the wild as a commercial source of edible seeds, and is sometimes cultivated for this purpose - there are some named cultivars. It is occasionally grown as an ornamental, shade-providing tree..
Carya ovata has a wide range with a large, stable population. There are no known major threats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2018)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

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Range

Eastern N. America - Ontario, Quebec and Maine, south to eastern Mexico, Texas and Georgia.

Habitat

Wet bottomlands, rocky hillsides, and limestone outcrops; at elevations up to 1,400 metres[]. Dry upland slopes, rich deep moist soils and well drained soils of lowland and valleys[, , ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	30.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Carya ovata grows best in a humid climate. It is one of the hardiest of the hickory species and has successfully adapted to a wide range of climatic conditions. Within its natural range, average annual rainfall varies from 760 - 2,030mm, with 510 - 1,020mm occurring during the growing season. Average snowfall usually is less than 30mm in the south, rising to 2,540mm or more in the north. Average annual temperatures vary from as low as 4°c in the north to nearly 21°c in the south. Average January temperature through the range vary from minus 9° to plus 13°c, while average July temperatures vary from 18° - 27°c. Extreme temperatures ranging from as low as minus 40°c to as high as 46°c have been recorded.. The average growing season also varies widely from about 140 days in the North to 260 days in the South[].
Prefers a deep moisture-retentive loam in a sunny sheltered position, requiring a good summer for best development[, , , ]. Succeeds in drier soils than most members of this genus[].
A very ornamental but slow-growing tree[, , ]. Trees take 15 years to come into flower from seed[] and reach commercial seedbearing age at around 40 years with maximum seed production occurring from 60 - 200 years, and some seed being produced up to 300 years. Good seed crops occur at intervals of 1 to 3 years with light crops or no seed during the intervening years[].
The tree resprouts well from the stump and from the roots if it is cut down, making it of potential use as a coppice species for fuel wood[].
The tree grows well in Britain, especially when young[, ], and does well in Cornwall[]. The tree has a loose grey bark that comes away in broad flakes and gives the tree its common name[].
The shagbark hickory is occasionally cultivated for its edible seed, there are some named varieties[]. It tends to be low-yielding[] and is said to be of no value in Britain as a commercial nut crop[]. This species is the fastest growing hickory in N. America, it can fruit in ten years from seed[]. Recommended cultivars (these are often hybrids with Carya cathayensis or Carya laciniosa) include:-
Shagbarks - 'J Yoder No. 1', heavy cropping and early[]. 'Porter'. 'Weschcke', a very thin shell and regular cropper[]. 'Wilcox', an excellent producer[].
Shellbarks (these are more likely to be hybrids with C. laciniosa) - 'Fayette', thin shelled[]. 'Henry', a very large nut[].
Cultivated as a timber tree in C. Europe[].
Plants are strongly tap-rooted and should be planted in their permanent positions as soon as possible[, ]. Sowing in situ would be the best method so long as the seed could be protected from mice[, ].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].
Most species in this genus have quite a wide range of distribution and, in order to find trees more suited to a specific climate, seed from the most appropriate provenances should be sought[]. Most trees growing in Britain at present tend to only produce good seed after hot summers[].
Trees are self-fertile but larger crops of better quality seeds are produced if cross-pollination takes place[].
The leaves are aromatic[].

Edible Uses

Seed - raw or cooked and used in pies, cakes, bread etc[, , , , ]. Sweet and delicious[, , ]. The seed can be ground into a meal and used to thicken soups etc[]. A nut milk can be prepared from the seed and this is used as a butter on bread, vegetables etc[]. The shell is normally thick and hard[] but in selected cultivars it can be thin[]. The seed ripens in late autumn and can be stored for up to 2 years in a cool cellar[]. The seed is up to 4cm long[].
Sap - sweet[]. It is tapped in spring[] and can be made into a syrup[].

Medicinal

The fresh small shoots have been steamed to make an inhalant for treating headaches[].

A decoction of the bark has been taken internally to treat rheumatism and also used as a poultice on rheumatic joints[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Trees are late coming into leaf (usually in late spring to early summer) and they lose their leaves early in the autumn (usually in October)[]. Whilst in leaf they cast a heavy shade. These factors combine to make the trees eminently suitable for a mixed woodland planting with shrubs and other trees beneath them[].

Other Uses

A yellow dye is obtained from the inner bark[].

Wood - close-grained, tough, elastic, heavy and very hard. It weighs 52lb per cubic foot[]. An excellent quality wood, it is renowned for its strength, and no other commercial species of wood is equal to it in combined strength, toughness, hardness, and stiffness. The dominant uses for hickory lumber are furniture, flooring, and tool handles. The combined strength, hardness, and shock resistance also make it suitable for many specialty products such as ladder rungs, wheel spokes, dowels, athletic goods, and gymnasium equipment[, , , , , , ].
The wood is an excellent fuel. It has a high heat value, burns evenly, and produces long-lasting steady heat[, ]. It produces an excellent charcoal, which gives food a traditional hickory-smoked flavour[, ].

Propagation

Seed - requires a period of cold stratification. It is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[]. Stored seed should be kept moist (but not wet) prior to sowing and should be sown in a cold frame as soon as possible[]. Where possible, sow 1 or 2 seeds only in each deep pot and thin to the best seedling. If you need to transplant the seedlings, then do this as soon as they are large enough to handle, once more using deep pots to accommodate the tap root. Put the plants into their permanent positions as soon as possible, preferably in their first summer, and give them some protection from the cold for at least the first winter[, ]. Seed can also be sown in situ so long as protection is given from mice etc and the seed is given some protection from cold[] (a plastic bottle with the top and bottom removed and a wire mesh top fitted to keep the mice out is ideal)