Bitternut Hickory, Swamp Hickory, Bitternut, Pig Hickory, Pignut Hickory, Pignut, White Hickory, Red Hickory, Bitter Walnut, Bitter Pecan
One of the largest hickories, Carya cordiformis (Bitternut Hickory) is a medium to large deciduous tree of broadly columnar habit with an irregular, oval-rounded crown and a long branch-free trunk. Its gray-brown bark is shallowly furrowed. The stiff, ascending branches are clothed with long, slender, light to medium green leaves, 6-12 in. (15-30 cm), each with 5-9 ovate leaflets. They turn bright yellow in the fall. Several species of beautiful moth are attracted to the foliage. Inconspicuous greenish-yellow flowers appear in spring, the male flowers in long, graceful catkins, and the female flowers in short spikes. The female flowers are followed by bitter, hard-shelled nuts. Bitternut Hickory fruit is generally considered unpalatable to wildlife, and supposedly even squirrels tend to avoid them. Bitternut Hickory is the shortest-lived of the hickories, lasting about 200 years. This ornamental tree casts an open shade that allows grass or ornamentals to thrive underneath.
Hardiness |
4 - 9 |
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 9 |
Plant Type | Trees |
Plant Family | Juglandaceae |
Genus | Carya |
Common names | Bitternut Hickory, Hickory, Pignut Hickory |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid, Late) Summer (Early, Mid, Late) Fall |
Height |
50' - 80' (15.2m - 24.4m) |
Spread |
30' - 50' (9.1m - 15.2m) |
Maintenance | Low |
Water Needs | Average |
Soil Type | Chalk, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy, Fruit & Berries |
Native Plants | Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Midwest, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Northeast, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Southeast, Southwest, Tennessee, Texas, United States, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin |
Attracts | Birds, Butterflies |
Garden Styles | Prairie and Meadow |
Hardiness |
4 - 9 |
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 9 |
Plant Type | Trees |
Plant Family | Juglandaceae |
Genus | Carya |
Common names | Bitternut Hickory, Hickory, Pignut Hickory |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid, Late) Summer (Early, Mid, Late) Fall |
Height |
50' - 80' (15.2m - 24.4m) |
Spread |
30' - 50' (9.1m - 15.2m) |
Maintenance | Low |
Water Needs | Average |
Soil Type | Chalk, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy, Fruit & Berries |
Native Plants | Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Midwest, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Northeast, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Southeast, Southwest, Tennessee, Texas, United States, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin |
Attracts | Birds, Butterflies |
Garden Styles | Prairie and Meadow |
How many Carya cordiformis (Bitternut Hickory) do I need for my garden?
Plant | Quantity | |
---|---|---|
Carya cordiformis (Bitternut Hickory) | N/A | Buy Plants |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
Join now and start creating your dream garden!