Native to the Eastern US, from the Mississippi river east.
Deciduous tree growing 60-80 feet tall and 25-40 feet wide
Alternate, pinnately compound leaves growing in groups of 5-7 leaflets in an irregular pattern.
Large, hard and brown nuts are edible and can be harvested in the fall
Host plant for many moths and butterflies including the Citheronia regalis (Hickory horndevil). Nuts are eaten by various mammals includng squirrels, chipmunks, bears, and deer.
Requires full sun or partial shade, thrives in most soil conditions except for alkaline and arid soils.
Hardiness Zones 4-9
Sentimental and Symbolic Value
The tree is very important to various American Indian groups, including the Ojibwe, who call its wood mitigwaabaak, "tree for bowmaking". The Cherokee historically used it to produce green dyes from the bark and used burnt hickory wood to produce a substances called lye for soapmaking. The traditional Cherokee dish, kanuchi, is made using its nuts. This tradition dates back thousands of years and has a long, ritualistic process associated with it.
Hickory is highly prized in wood-burning stoves and barbecues, flavoring the cooked meat with a strong, rich flavor.
Hickory has long had a reputation for toughness on account of the wood's stiffness and resistance to distortion. This is evidenced by idioms such as "tough as hickory", and the nickname "Old Hickory" given to, among other people and groups, President Andrew Jackson (1829-1837) who was noted for his toughness and stubborness.
Specimen photographed found at Lost Lake, Groton, Massachusetts
Plant History and Etymology
Carya originates in the Ancient Greek κάρυον (káruon, “nut”), while glabra comes from the Latin glaber, meaning "smooth". The pignut hickory is a common species of the oak-hckory forest association which dominates much of Eastern North America. The term "hickory" is derived from the Ojibwe language word "pockerchicory". The tree's nuts were generally inferior to others, leading to them mainly being used as feed for pigs by European settlers. The tree was and still is prized, however, for its wood, which is durable and stiff, being used in tools, wheels, bats, and bows, among other objects in which hardness is a necessity. Historically, it was also used for making black and green dyes by native Americans and Europeans.
Design Considerations
The tree is large and hardy, an ideal shade tree on a lawn, meadow or other grassy area. Its resistance to deer and fire make it suitable for high-disturbance environments, and it has an exceptional wildlife value. It is very showy in the fall, with bright yellow leaves and nuts presenting in October. One major design issue with this tree is that it produces considerable litter from its leaves and nuts.
Sources
“Tree of the Month: Pignut Hickory - Casey Trees.” 2012. Casey Trees. June 2012. https://caseytrees.org/2012/06/tree-month-pignut-hickory/.
“Pig-Nut Hickory | Yale Nature Walk.” 2018. Yale.edu. 2018. https://naturewalk.yale.edu/trees/juglandaceae/carya-glabra/pig-nut-hickory-80.
“Carya Glabra (Broom Hickory, Coast Pignut Hickory, Pignut, Pignut Hickory, Red Hickory, Small Fruited Hickory, Smoothbark Hickory, Swamp Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory, Switch Hickory) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.” 2021. Ncsu.edu. 2021. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/carya-glabra/.
“Carya Glabra (Pignut Hickory): Go Botany.” 2021. Nativeplanttrust.org. 2021. https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/carya/glabra/.
Jarchow, Matt. 2018. “Native Spirit: Importance of Hickory.” WGBA. WGBA. October 8, 2018. https://www.nbc26.com/news/native-spirit-importance-of-hickory.
Phoenix Archives. 2009. “Hickory Nuts Mean Kanuchi.” Cherokeephoenix.org. October 26, 2009. https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/health/hickory-nuts-mean-kanuchi/article_fdebe40b-9b48-5849-bf6a-1601baaecbc7.html#:~:text=The%20archeological%20and%20historic%20record,and%20many%20other%20cultural%20items.&text=The%20most%20popular%20of%20hickory,mocker%2C%20shag%20bark%20and%20nutmeg..