Shellbark hickory
- Latin name: Carya laciniosa Michx. f.
- French name: Caryer lacinié
- Synonym(s): Big shagbark hickory , kingnut
- Taxonomic Serial Number: 19235
Description
Leaves
Form
- 7 (sometimes 9) leaflets
- Central stalk often remains on twig after leaflets are shed
- Lower surface hairy
Length
- Leaf and central stalk 25–30 cm
Width
- Leaflets widest near the middle
Colour
- Upper surface dark yellowish-green
- Lower surface paler
Margin
- Finely toothed
- Hairs present but not in tufts
Buds
Form
- Terminal bud present
- 10–12 scales
- Lateral buds diverge slightly from the twig
Length
- Terminal bud 20–25 mm
Twigs
Form
- Slightly hairy
Colour
- Dull yellowish-brown to dark orange-cinnamon
- Colour not always present
Flowers
Form
- Pollen flowers in 3-branched, drooping catkins
- Seed flowers in small erect terminal clusters (spikes)
Structure
- Monoecious
Fruits
Form
- Globular
- In small clusters
- Husk 6–12 mm thick, woody
- Splitting along 4 lines to the base when ripe
- Shell moderately thick, hard
- Kernel sweet, edible
Length
- Fruit 5–7 cm
Structure
- Nut
Bark
Form
- Separating into long shaggy plates with age
- Plates free at lower ends or at both ends
Colour
- Dark grey
Size
Height
- To 30 m
Diameter
- To 90 cm
Maximum age
- 200 years
Tree form
Forest-grown
Trunk
- Branch-free for more than one-half its height
- Often strongly tapered from the base upward
Crown
- Narrow, open
- Short, sturdy, ascending branches spread out toward the top
Root system
- Taproot deep, strong, except in swamps
Habitat
Site
- Moist to wet in valleys and along stream banks
Associated species
- Mixed with other broadleaf trees
Range
Rare in Canada; scattered occurrence north of Lake Erie in southern Ontario
Photos
Distribution map
