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Carya glabra
Pignut Hickory, Swamp Hickory, Smoothbark Hickory, Broom Hickory

This plant is not currently for sale.  This is an archive page preserved for informational use.

The Pignut Hickory is one of the tallest (eighty to one hundred-foot range) hickory trees comprising the Oak-Hickory Forests of Eastern North America. The trunk is generally straight and the crown of the tree slender, casting an open shade. Leaves are alternate, pinnately compound, eight to twelve inches long, with 5 (sometimes 7) leaflets. Leaflets are lance-shaped with serrated margins. In the fall they turn a briliant yellow which lasts longer than those of other hickory species. The nuts are one to two inches long, ripening in the fall. The foliage supports the larvae of a very large number of butterflies, moths, beetles, leafhoppers, etc. whch in turn attract insectivorous songbirds. The nuts support squirrrels of various types, as well as other small mammals and large birds. The Hickory wood is hard, used for all sorts of implements, and makes excellent fuel for wood-burning stoves. Although a desirable tree, it is difficult to transplant because of its early-developing tap root. One of our top favorite shade trees.

Last Updated: November 27, 2021

Key Info

Scientific Name: Carya glabra (Mill.) Sweet
Common Names: Pignut Hickory, Swamp Hickory, Smoothbark Hickory, Broom Hickory
Family Name: Juglandaceae (Walnut Family)
Plant Type: Tree / Shrub
Uses: Shade tree
Light Requirement: Full sun, Partial/sunny, Partial/shady
Moisture Requirement: Dry, Medium, Moist well drained
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Flower Color: Yellowish green, inconspicuous
Special Characteristics: Good fall color, Tolerates shade, Tolerates drought, Long lived, Excellent timber, Tolerates Black Walnuts, Excellent wildlife food

Additional Info

Habit: Tall and slender tree with arching branches and early-develoing deep taproot; adult has ridged or plated bark.
Height: 50'-100'
Spread: up to 25'
Growth Rate: Moderate
Soil Conditions: average to dry, circumneutral pH, acclimated to a range of soil textures, sandy, loamy, clay
Leaves: Altnernate, pinnately compund with 5 (rarely 7) lanceolate leaflets with toothed margins, smooth on the underside (glabrous), the upper leaflets larger than the lower pair; excellent yellow fall color.
Flowers (or reproductive structures): Flowering is monoecious, with yellowish-green male catkins 2-3" long in axils of leaves of previous season; female flowers on short spikes at the ends of branches.
Fruit: 1" x 0.8", slightly pear-shaped, hard-shelled nuts formed in the fall from female flowers of trees 25-30 years old. Nutmeats oare bitter and bland to taste.
Natural Distribution: Woodlands, dry ridges, rocky hillside, stream banks
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9
USDA Wetland Indicator Status in NC: FACU (FAC on coast)
Pollination: Wind
Wildlife Connections: Nuts are high in fat and protein and although bitter in taste, are an important food source for squirrels, foxes, bears, rabbits, raccoons, wild turkeys; foliage serves as larval host for Luna Moth, Funeral Dagger, and Giant Regal Moth (Illinois wildflowers.info).
Cultural Notes: The wood is considered extremely resistant to vibrations and mechanical shock, and has been used for such things as wagon axles, mallets and mauls and skis. It also has high heat value and makes excellent fuel for woodstoves.
Downside: Difficult to transplant due to the early-developed tap root. Many insects (>100) are reported to feed on the wood, but few cause severe damage: the Hickory Bark Beetle may attack trees under severe drought stress; Ambrosia and other beetles may attack stressed or dying trees.
Propagation: By seed.
USDA/NRCS Plant Distribution Map: View Map at USDA.gov
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Cure Nursery is a small nursery propagating and selling native plants for the Southeastern U.S. We are located near the town of Pittsboro, Chatham County, in central NC.

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