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Shellbark Hickory

$10.00

Carya laciniosa. These majestic ancient trees are long lived, slow growing and prolific producers of nut crops. The shellbark hickory grows best in moist deep loamy or silty soils. It does well in heavy loam or silt soils and can tolerate some seasonal flooding. Zones 4-9

Bark is gray and shaggy and hangs in long plates that easily separate, like shagbark hickory. Nuts are sweeter and bigger but shells are hard to open.

It produces copious amounts of large, flavorful, thick shelled nuts. The wood is extremely hard and beautifully tight grained. Stronger than black locust, it is some of the toughest wood in the world.

Trees produce male and female flowers in Spring from April to May (trees are self fertile) and  yellow foliage in early fall, usually dropping all their leaves by mid autumn.

Shellbark: sap is sweet and can be boiled down for sugar similar to maple sap. Nuts are very flavorful, but shells are tough and difficult to open. Breaking and boiling the nuts is the preferred method. Trees take up to 15 years to produce nuts. Excellent for mixed woodland planting.

USDA regulations prohibit shipping of Hickory species to New Mexico.

Weight N/A
Dimensions N/A
Botanical Name

Carya laciniosa

Zone

4-8

Soil

Deep, sandy loam, clay, loam, well drained, fertile soil with high organic matter. Prefers moist to wet rather than dry soils.

Light

Full sun

Pollination

Monoecious self-fertile, plant 2 or more trees for full nut bearing

Years to Bear

7-10

Form

Tall upright deciduous nut bearing tree with spreading branches and a narrow crown

Height

60-80 feet

Spread

50 feet

Spacing

40 feet

Bloom

Yellow/Red/Green flowers at the ends of drooping catkins on younger branches and twigs in early spring.

Ripening Time

Late summer/early autumn

Fruit

Green nuts 2-3" in diameter husks similar look but smaller, to walnut

Pollinator Friendly

Yes

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