How to identify Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata)

How to identify Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata)

Shagbark hickory is a stately deciduous tree reaching 70 to 90 feet (21 to 27 meters) tall, with a considerable spread of 50 to 70 feet (15 to 21 meters). This tree is noted for its distinctively shaggy bark on the mature trunk which may reach 2 to 3 feet (60 to 90 cm) in diameter. The leaf structure is compound with several leaflets, and it produces sizable nuts esteemed by wildlife.

Lifespan: Perennial

Plant Type: Tree

Leaf Type: Deciduous

Quickly Identify Shagbark hickory

Distinct shaggy bark on mature trunk, 2-3 feet (60-90 cm) diameter.

Compound leaves with 5-7 lance-shaped leaflets, largest terminal leaflet.

Male flowers in pendulous catkins, female flowers in compact spikes.

Enclosed fruit within 4-parted husk, splits to reveal oval nut.

Stout twigs, light gray to brown, with scattered white lenticels.

Detailed Traits of Shagbark hickory

Leaf Features

Shagbark hickory exhibits compound leaves that are 8-14 inches (20-35 cm) in length, with an alternate, medium yellow-green layout. These odd-pinnate leaves consist of 5-7 broadly lance-shaped, finely-toothed leaflets, each measuring 3-7 inches (7.5-18 cm) long and 1-3 inches (2.5-7.5 cm) wide. The terminal leaflet stands out as the largest. The undersides are pale green with occasional hairs along the veins. During fall, the leaves transition to yellow or a golden brown hue.

Learn About the Leaf Glossary

Flower Features

The flowers of shagbark hickory are non-showy and monoecious, presenting in May. Male flowers form in 3-5 inch (7.5-12.5 cm) long, pendulous catkins, while female flowers appear in short spikes. Both genders exhibit a greenish-yellow hue. The male flowers are slender and hang gracefully, whereas the female flowers are grouped in compact, upright spikes. This distinct dual arrangement aids in easy identification during the blooming period, adding unique charm to the plant's floral display.

Learn About the Flower Glossary

Stem Features

Shagbark hickory exhibits stout twigs, measuring around 0.25 to 0.5 inches (0.6 to 1.3 cm) in diameter. The twigs are light gray, light brown, or reddish-brown, adorned with scattered white lenticels. The terminal buds are grayish-brown, enveloped by 3-4 loose, pubescent scales which add a distinctive texture. The surface may appear rough due to these features. This stem characteristic is essential for identifying shagbark hickory in various stages of growth.

Learn About the Stem Glossary

Fruit Features

The fruit of shagbark hickory is encapsulated within a 4-parted husk measuring 1.5–2 inches (3.8–5.1 cm) across. Upon maturity, the husk transforms from green to a deep brown hue and naturally splits to reveal a light tan, oval nut. The nut's dimensions are somewhat compressed, contributing to its distinctive shape. Encased within the shell, the edible meat presents a sweet taste, visible once the fruit displays its full ripeness in October.

Fruit Type

Nut

Learn About the Fruit Glossary

A Botanist in Your Pocket

Scan QR code to download

More Plants You May Like and How to Identify Them

Cape jasmine

Gardenia jasminoides is an evergreen shrub with unique, glossy evergreen leaves and stunning flowers. The sophisticated, matte white flowers are often used in bouquets. The exceptional beauty of this ornamental plant has made it a popular and highly appreciated plant amongst gardeners and horticulturalists.

Golden pothos

The golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is a popular houseplant that is commonly seen in Australia, Asia, and the West Indies. It goes by many nicknames, including "devil's ivy", because it is so hard to kill and can even grow in low light conditions. Golden pothos has poisonous sap, so it should be kept away from pets and children.

Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum is an annual or perennial herbaceous vine native to Central and South America that produces a large, juicy, edible fruit known as tomato. Today there are over 10000 cultivated varieties. Although tomato is the world’s most popular vegetable, botanically it is a fruit.

Pepper

The pepper are commonly used for cooking in places such as the Southern U.S. and Central America. Most are moderately spicy, though because there are so many variants, the spice level can vary dramatically. Cayenne powder is also a popular seasoning product made from pepper plants.

Swiss cheese plant

The swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa) produces bright, glossy leaves and makes a popular houseplant. It is originally native to tropical forest regions in Central America. The nickname swiss cheese plant refers to the small holes that develop in the plant's leaves. The long fruits resemble corncobs and smell sweet and fragrant when ripe.

Bigleaf hydrangea

The bigleaf hydrangea is a deciduous shrub native to Japan, and is known for its lush, oval, colorful inflorescence. The two types of Hydrangea macrophylla are mopheads - with large, ball-shaped, sterile flower clusters, and lace capes - with small round fertile flowers in the center, and sterile flowers on the outer side of each inflorescence. Depending on soil pH, blooms can change color from pink to blue.

Shagbark hickory and Their Similar Plants

Pignut hickory vs. Shagbark hickory: What's The Difference?

Pignut hickory is a tree native to the Eastern United States. The fruit of the pignut hickory is usually bitter and is the reason for the tree’s name, as it has been deemed fit for only “pigs and other animals” to eat. Pignut hickory wood is often used in sporting equipment and as tool handles due to its tough yet flexible qualities.

Bitternut hickory vs. Shagbark hickory: What's The Difference?

Bitternut hickory is most often used for lumber due to its durability. It is utilized for building items such as furniture, ladders, or tools. Due to it being hickory, it is used to smoke meat.

Sand hickory vs. Shagbark hickory: What's The Difference?

Sand hickory (Carya pallida) is a tree species that can grow to be 24 m tall. Sand hickory is native to the southeastern United States. This species produces edible nuts.

Pecan vs. Shagbark hickory: What's The Difference?

Pecan is a valuable nut tree for commercial cultivation. This native plant of North America produces nutritious pecan nuts, and the wood is valued for making veneer, furniture, and for smoking meats when rendered into charcoal.

Water hickory vs. Shagbark hickory: What's The Difference?

It is considered important in cleansing drainage waters since the plants slow water flow during flooding, allowing sediments to fall out of the water column. This tree species is tolerant of wet soils but grows best on well draining soils near rivers and other water ways.

Shellbark hickory vs. Shagbark hickory: What's The Difference?

Wildlife and people harvest most of them; those remaining produce seedling trees readily. The wood is hard, heavy, strong, and very flexible, making it a favored wood for tool handles. A specimen tree has been reported in Missouri with 1.2 m diameter at breast height, 37 m tall, and a spread of 23 m.

Red hickory vs. Shagbark hickory: What's The Difference?

The red hickory is generally encountered as a medium-sized tree, capable of growing to 30 m in height. The single trunk is straight and often continues for the entire height of the tree, although sometimes splits into several large limbs once the canopy has been breached.

Nutmeg hickory vs. Shagbark hickory: What's The Difference?

Nutmeg hickory is a medium-sized deciduous tree with a broad, rounded crown, often found in wet, sandy soils along rivers and floodplains. Its bark is deeply furrowed, and its pinnate leaves contribute to a dense canopy. The fruit is a distinctive, elongated drupe resembling a small, hard pear. Each autumn, nutmeg hickory sheds its leaves, flanking its habitat with a golden-brown hue.

Identify Shagbark hickory easily and quickly

We're also capable of identifying over 12,000 types of plants, flowers, succulents, and trees in your surroundings.

Identify a Plant Online

Key Facts About Shagbark hickory

Attributes of Shagbark hickory

Lifespan

Perennial

Plant Type

Tree

Plant Height

30 m to 46 m

Spread

15 m to 21 m

Leaf Color

Green

Yellow

Gold

Flower Size

8 cm to 15 cm

Flower Color

Yellow

Green

Fruit Color

Green

Brown

Copper

Stem Color

Silver

Brown

Gray

Red

Burgundy

Leaf type

Deciduous

Identify plants with a snap

Instantly identify plants with AI: Snap a photo, and get accurate results within seconds.

Download the App for Free

Scientific Classification of Shagbark hickory

Phylum

Vascular plants

Class

Dicotyledons

Order

Beeches, walnuts, and allied trees

Family

Walnut

Genus

Hickories

Species

Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata)

Learn More About the Shagbark hickory

Distribution Map of Shagbark hickory

The native range of the shagbark hickory runs from Eastern Canada to Central and Eastern USA and Northeastern Mexico; it grows in woodland ecosystems. The species has been introduced to several European countries (mostly Central Europe) for ornamental purposes.

Native

Cultivated

Invasive

Potentially invasive

Exotic

No species reported

Learn More About the Shagbark hickory

A Comprehensive Guide to Shagbark hickory How to Grow and Care for Shagbark hickory