Practical
Plants

Carya laciniosa

Shellbark Hickory

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Carya genus in the family Juglandaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Carya
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
slow
Height
30 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Wind
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

None known

Edible uses

Seed - raw or cooked in pies, cakes etc[5]. Sweet, with a very fine flavour[5], it has the largest seeds of the hickories[8], up to 5cm long[9]. Probably the finest flavoured hickory[3]. The shell is hard and thick[2][3] and the cracking quality is poor compared to C. ovata[5]. The seed ripens in late autumn and, when stored in its shell in a cool place, will keep for at least 6 months[K]. Sap - a sweet flavour[15]. Tapped in spring, it can be boiled down to a syrup or sugar and be used in similar ways to maple syrup[2][5].

Plant part
Sap
Plant part
Seed
Product or use
Sweetener

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

The inner bark is astringent and detergent[10]. It has been used as a dressing for cuts and has been chewed to treat sore mouths[10].

Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Detergent

Material uses

Wood - close-grained, tough, hard, heavy, elastic, very flexible. It weighs 50 lb. per cubic foot. An excellent wood, it is used for tool handles, baskets, fuel etc[12][14][16][18][7][8].

Product or use
Fuel
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy

Environment

Range
Eastern N. America - New York and Pennsylvania to Indiana, Iowa and Kansas.
Habitat
Deep rich soils of floodplains and bottomlands[11][15]. It grows best on neutral or slightly alkaline soils and tolerates shallow flooding in early spring[9].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

Seed - requires a period of cold stratification. It is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[17]. Stored seed should be kept moist (but not wet) prior to sowing and should be sown in a cold frame as soon as possible[17]. Where possible, sow 1 or 2 seeds only in each deep pot and thin to the best seedling. If you need to transplant the seedlings, then do this as soon as they are large enough to handle, once more using deep pots to accommodate the tap root. Put the plants into their permanent positions as soon as possible, preferably in their first summer, and give them some protection from the cold for at least the first winter[78, K]. Seed can also be sown in situ so long as protection is given from mice etc and the seed is given some protection from cold[6] (a plastic bottle with the top and bottom removed and a wire mesh top fitted to keep the mice out is ideal)

Cultivation

Prefers a deep moisture-retentive loam in a sunny sheltered position, requiring a good summer for best development[1][16][4][6]. A very ornamental but slow growing tree[1], it is sometimes cultivated for its edible seed, and is also sold in local markets in N. America[18]. There are some named varieties[5] though some of these are likely to be hybrids. 'Fayette' is a thin shelled form[6]. 'Henry' has a very large nut[6]. Trees have been planted on an experimental scale in Germany for their wood[13]. Hybridizes in the wild with C. ovata[8]. Trees take up to 15 years from seed to bear fruit[3]. Plants are strongly tap-rooted and should be planted in their permanent positions as soon as possible[1][4]. Sowing in situ would be the best method so long as the seed could be protected from mice[1][6]. Trees are late coming into leaf (usually late May to June) and lose their leaves early in the autumn (usually in October)[4]. During this time they cast a heavy shade. These factors combine to make the trees eminently suitable for a mixed woodland planting with shrubs and other trees beneath them[4]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[6]. Most species in this genus have quite a wide range of distribution and, in order to find trees more suited to this country, seed from the most appropriate provenances should be sought[4]. Most trees growing in Britain at present tend to only produce good seed after hot summers[4]. Trees are self-fertile but larger crops of better quality seeds are produced if cross-pollination takes place[9].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  2. Turner. N. J. and Szczawinski. A. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences 1978-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Rosengarten. jnr. F. The Book of Edible Nuts. Walker & Co. 1984-00-00 ISBN 0802707699

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. ? The Plantsman. Vol. 9. 1986 - 1987. Royal Horticultural Society 1986-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  5. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  7. Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0889025649

    ↩

  8. Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982-00-00 ISBN 0292780206

    ↩1↩2↩3

  9. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩1↩2↩3

  10. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2

  11. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

  12. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  13. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

    ↩

  14. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  15. Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982-00-00 ISBN 0442222009

    ↩1↩2

  16. Howes. F. N. Nuts. Faber 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  17. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  18. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

    ↩1↩2

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