Hickory, Shagbark

Here we have the Shagbark Hickory, or Carya ovata, a tree celebrated for its distinctive bark and valuable wood. One of the most common hickories in the Midwest, the Shagbark Hickory is highly regarded for its tough, strong, dense wood, which is still used today to add that classic hickory flavor when smoking hams. In fact, it is the most commercially important hickory species in the United States. This medium-sized tree stands 70 to 80 feet tall, grows slowly, and can live for 250 years or more. Preferring rich bottomlands near streams, it can also thrive on wooded slopes and uplands. Feel the unique dark gray bark, which comes off in long, wide, thin plates that peel away from the tree at both ends, giving the tree its “shaggy” appearance. The leaves typically have 5 leaflets, smooth and yellow-green on top with a paler, lightly hairy underside, and a serrated edge. In April and May, both male and female flowers appear as drooping clusters and spikes along with the leaves. The tree produces a rounded nut with a thick, dark brown husk that splits into four sections, revealing a sweet seed that ripens in the fall.