Native Highlights: Shagbark Hickory

Common Name: Shagbark Hickory
Botanical Name: Carya ovata
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-7

Height:  60-80’+
Spread: 30-40’

One of the most common hickory in Wisconsin that is easily identified by its shaggy bark, large leaves and edible nuts.

Form: In the home landscape the crown is wide spreading with ascending upper branches and descending lower branches. In the wild its forms tends to be thin and columnar with their trunks being almost limb free for most of their height.

Growth Rate: Slow to medium

Habitat: Grows naturally in soils that are rich, moist, and well drained, usually along streams and swamps and yet commonly found on hillsides and wooded slopes. Its native range in Wisconsin is the southern half of the state.

Flower: Male flowers hang in pendulous clusters (catkins) while the female flowers are rosy spikes (petallets), both are located at the tips of the branches.

Fruit: Rounded nut enclosed in a thick husk. The husk is dark brown and splits into 4 sections. The nuts are edible and sweet.

Leaf: The 1” terminal buds enclose the leaves and flowers and as the bud opens and unfurls, it has an appearance of a large rosy-pink flower. The large leaf, 8-14” long, consists of 5-7 leaflets. The fall color is golden yellow. Young trees are identified by the previous year’s leaf stems that remain attached to terminal buds.

Bark: Dark gray and smooth when young, as it matures the bark becomes shaggy with the ends of the bark plates loosened from the trunk.

Tolerances:  Clay soils, dry sites, strong winds, moderately tolerant of shade.

Attracts: Main food source nesting retreat of squirrels and other small mammals.

Uses:  Shade tree

Interesting Facts: Being in the Juglandaceae family along with Black Walnut, certain plants may struggle growing in the root zone of Shagbark Hickory. Though some reports say that Shagbark Hickory is difficult to transplant, Johnson's Nursery has had great success. The wood of shagbark hickory is heavy, tough, and durable making it suitable for making house hold items like tool handles, ladders, furniture, flooring, and sporting goods. The wood is also an excellent fuelwood, for its burns evenly with long lasting steady heat. The green wood of this hickory is used for smoking hams and other meats for that “hickory smoked” flavor. Andrew Jackson, our 7th president, was called “Old Hickory” by his troops for being tough during the many battles he lead and fought.