Shellbark hickory is a large deciduous tree in the walnut family (Juglandaceae) that occurs mainly in Ohio and upper Mississippi River valleys and is rare in NC. It is often found on low woods, bottomland, river floodplains and streambanks. The Genus name comes from the Greek word karya used for walnut trees. Specific epithet means shredded referring to the shaggy bark. It grows slowly to 60 to 80 feet tall but can reach up to 100 feet with a narrow round to elliptical crown that spreads 40 to 6o feet. Plant in humus-rich loams or silt in medium to wet soils in full to part sun and can tolerate temporary flooding in the spring. Give it plenty of room to grow. The tree will hybridize with other pecan trees. The large nuts are sweet and produced on trees 10-20 years of age. Fall color is yellow to golden brown and the peeling bark adds winter interest.. This tree supports many wildlife species. Unfortunately, this tree is threatened in its native habitat. Use shellbark hickory in large yards for shade, in naturalized areas, along streams and ponds and to support wildlife. It can also be grown for the edible nuts. It can be messy with fruit, leaf and twig drop. Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: No serious problems, but the pecam weavil and the hickory shuckworm can reduce nut production. White heart rot, anthracnose, leaf blotch, powdery mildew, leaf spot, catkin blight and crown gall are occasional diseases.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasionally Wet
Available space
more than 60 feet
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 100 ft. 0 in. | Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Obovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The dark green odd-pinnate compound leaves have 5-9, but usually, 7 leaflets that are 4-8 inches long and 1- 2.5 inches across. They are broadly lance-shaped and pointed with fine teeth. The fall color is yellow to yellow-brown.
Fall color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Flower form
Catkin; Insignificant
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
2-3 inch long yellow-green male catkins. Female flowers are produced in clusters of 2-6 on the same twigs as the catkins
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Cream/Tan
Fruit type
Nut
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Fruit detail
The thick husk is green when young and becomes brown with maturity and is split into 4 sections. The nut is egg-shaped and tan in color and matures in the fall.
Bark color
Dark Gray; Light Gray
Bark detail
The bark is initially smooth and gray with shallow interlacing ridges, later developing long, loose plates, resulting in a shaggy appearance.
Stem color
Brown/Copper
Stem detail
Young twigs are pale to medium brown with orange lenticels. They have hairs early in the season but become smooth later on.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Canada, central to eastern U.S.A., NC
Distribution
AL , AR , DC , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MI , MO , MS , NC , NY , OH , OK , PA , TN , TX , VA , WV Canada: ON
Wildlife value
The leaves of the shellbark hickory are eaten by deer and other browsers while the nuts are consumed by deer, bears, foxes, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, wild turkey and other animals. It provides nutrition for bees in early to late spring. This plant supports Hickory Horndevil (Citheronia regalis) larvae which have one brood and appear from May to mid-September. Adult Hickory Horndevil moths do not feed.
Attracts
Moths; Pollinators; Small Mammals
Play value
Edible fruit; Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit; Nuts
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Nut
Edibility
Nuts are sweet and edible.
Uses (ethnobotany)
Used to make tool handles, sporting goods, furniture, cabinets, and veneer. Also used as fuelwood and charcoal.