General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Tree
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Water Preferences: Mesic
Dry Mesic
Dry
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 4a -34.4 °C (-30 °F) to -31.7 °C (-25 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 9b
Plant Height: 70 - 100 feet
Plant Spread: 20 - 40 feet
Leaves: Good fall color
Unusual foliage color
Deciduous
Fruit: Showy
Edible to birds
Flower Time: Spring
Suitable Locations: Street Tree
Uses: Shade Tree
Edible Parts: Fruit
Dynamic Accumulator: P (Phosphorus)
K (Potassium)
Ca (Calcium)
Propagation: Seeds: Self fertile
Seeds are hydrophilic
Pollinators: Wind
Miscellaneous: Monoecious

Image
Common names
  • Shagbark Hickory
  • Shellbark Hickory
  • Upland Hickory

Photo Gallery
Location: French Creek State Park in southeast PA
Date: 2010-10-17
several trees in golden fall color
Location: Forest Hill Cemetery, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Date: 2019-10-20
Towering trunk of a shagbark hickory in fall.  The color is worth
Location: Forest Hill Cemetery, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Date: 2019-10-20
No mystery how this tree got its common name.  Peeling bark of a
Location: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Location: New Zealand
Date: 2013-04-16
Location: Natural Area in Northeastern Indiana 
Date: 2011-10-07
Fall color - Gazing up into the brilliant golden-yellow canopy of
Location: Basking Ridge, New Jersey.
Date: November
credit: John B.
Location: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Location: Clinton, Michigan 49236
Date: 2017-11-01
Carya ovata, 2015, Shagbark Hickory, KAIR-ee-uh oh-VAY-tuh, 80x60
Location: Kerr Park in Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2010-06-21
summer leaves
Location: Natural Area in Northeastern Indiana
Date: 2011-10-07
Location: My garden, Pequea, Pennsylvania USA
Date: 2018-03-07
Location: Natural Area in Northeastern Indiana
Date: 2011-10-07
Backlit leaves
Location: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Date: 2017-10-09
Location: Clinton, Michigan 49236
Date: 2017-11-01
Carya ovata, 2015, Shagbark Hickory, KAIR-ee-uh oh-VAY-tuh, 80x60
Location: Indian Cave State Park in Nebraska
Date: 2012-05-16
Location: Indian Cave State Park in Nebraska
Date: 2012-05-16
Location: Indian Cave State Park in Nebraska
Date: 2012-05-16
Location: My garden, Pequea, Pennsylvania USA
Date: 2018-01-27
Location: southeast Pennylvania
Date: 2010-07-11
full-grown tree in summer
Location: Hinsdale, Illinois
Date: summer in 1980's
wild mature tree
Location: southeast Pennsylvania
Date: 2017-11-10
nut and two husks with nuts
Location: Kerr Park in Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2011-01-31
portion of trunk with bark
Location: Clinton, Michigan 49236
Date: 2017-11-01
Carya ovata, 2015, Shagbark Hickory, KAIR-ee-uh oh-VAY-tuh, 80x60
Location: Natural Area in Northeastern Indiana
Date: 2011-10-07
Hickory nuts are a very important food source for native wildlife
Location: Indiana zone 5
Date: 2014-08-09
nut with outer casing removed
Location: Natural Area in Northeastern Indiana 
Date: 2011-10-07
Comments:
  • Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Nov 25, 2017 11:06 AM concerning plant:
    The Shagbark hickory is the most common hickory in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic Regions. It name comes from its gray bark that has long scales curve far outward. Its compound leaves get to 14 inches long and have 5 leaflets, though up to 9 is possible. The fruit is a round, 4-ribbed husk to 2.5 inches in diameter with a sweet nut inside. Its native range is from a little bit of far southeast Canada to New England down to central Alabama to east Texas up to southeast Minnesota, thru central Wisconsin and lower Michigan. It is slow growing of about 6 -8 inches/year and lives about 200 to 250 years. It develops a deep taproot, but small trees can be moved B&B in spring. It is offered by some native plant and specialty nurseries.
Plant Events from our members
MrsBinWY On March 27, 2021 Seeds sown
seeds from antsinmypants' 2020G in Feb-21 - per Sheffields: soak 4 days, changing water every 24 hours; 120 cold, moist stratification; sow 1-2" deep
» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant
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Beautiful! by KFredenburg Apr 19, 2020 2:12 PM 2

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