CARYA OVATA - Shagbark Hickory
The Shagbark Hickory trees are found in the Eastern United States and can live up to 300 years and grow to 100 feet tall.
[Elementary School students]
Did you know?
Does this tree likes to stay in one place?
* Shagbark Hickory trees have a tap (long, deep) root and do not like to be moved (transplanted).
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a854
This tree is used in cooking
* The wood from Shagbark Hickory trees is used to cure (smoke) meats.
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a854
A US President was nicknamed after this tree
* Andrew Jackson, nicknamed “Old Hickory”, (7th US President) was compared to the strong hard wood of a Hickory Tree.
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a854
Who likes to eat the fruit of this tree?
* The fruit is a nut with a hard outer husk that splits open when ripe. Black bears, foxes, mice, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, and a number of birds enjoy the delicious nuts every fall.
https://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Library/Plants/Shagbark-Hickory.aspx
How long can this tree live?
* The lifespan of a full grown tree can average 200 years of age but some live to over 300 years old
https://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Library/Plants/Shagbark-Hickory.aspx
Leaf: Green Summer
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a854
[Middle School students]
Habitat (where it likes to live)
* Well drained soils in full sun and also in wet soils
* Location: Eastern United States (Zone 5 to 8a)
http://hort.ufl.edu/database/documents/pdf/tree_fact_sheets/carovaa.pdf
http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=20
Requirements (what it needs to live)
* Water: Medium to wet
* Tolerates: Various soils
* Maintenance: Medium
Identification (what it looks like)
* Male trees have long stringy catkins
* Female trees have an edible nut
* Young trees have smooth gray bark
* Older trees have peeling shaggy bark
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a854
[High School students]
Habit (how it grows)
* Height: 70 to 90 feet
* Spread: 50 to 70 feet
* Bloom Time: April to May
* Bloom Description: Greenish - Yellow
* Sun: Full sun to part shade
* Leaf: Good fall color – yellow
* Fruit: Showy, edible nuts
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a854
https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/species/carya/ovata/
https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/species/carya/ovata/
Suggested Use (where to plant it in the garden and landscape):
* Residential settings – Large yards and estates
* Parks – Seth Hand Park
References:
- Missouri Botanic Garden – missouribotanicgarden.org
- National Wildlife Foundation - https://www.nwf.org
- Go Botany - https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org