Mockernut Hickory is a large deciduous tree that is native to eastern and central USA and can be found in all areas of NC. It is fairly slow growing and will reach heights of 50 to 80 feet tall or more. The crown is rounded and dense. The tree takes 25 years before producing the edible nut but can continue producing for 200 years. It is a strong, straight trunk tree and the wood is used to make various items and for firewood. The wood is mostly white except for the small heartwood, hence the common name. This tree is adaptable to both sandy and clay loam with good drainage and is drought tolerant once established. It does best in full sun in rich moist soil with lots of room to grow. A deep taproot makes it difficult to transplant. Use this tree in a park, large yard for shade or naturalized areas. An important food source for the larvae of both the Banded hairstreak ( Satyrium calanus ) butterfly and the Hickory horndevil ( Citheronia regalis ) moth. Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Generally no serious problems. Potential insects are : hickory bark beetle, pecan weevil, borers and twig girdler. Whiteheart rot, anthracnose, leaf blotch, powdery mildew, leaf spot, cankers, catlin blight, crown gall, and scab 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 drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
more than 60 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 60 ft. 0 in. - 80 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
Broad; Rounded
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
9-20 inch long compound leaves are alternate, odd-pinnate and dark yellowish-green. They have 5 to 7 toothed ovate-lanceolate leaflets that are 3-6 inches long by 1-2 inches wide. Bases are cuneate to rounded and tips are tapered and acute. Undersides have orange-brown hairs. The stem is covered with resinous, pungent hairs and is aromatic when cut or bruised. The leaves turn an attractive yellow in fall.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Flower form
Catkin; Insignificant
Flower size
3-6 inches
Flower detail
It has both male and female flowers that are non-showy. The male flowers are drooping greenish-yellow catkins up to 6" long. The female flowers are on short spikes with a feathery reddish stigmata being exerted from the green calyx. Blooms from April to May.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Green
Fruit type
Nut
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit detail
4-segmented husks are 1.5-3 inches wide and are green maturing to yellow then brown. Contains 1 light brown oval slightly compressed nut with a thick shell and edible seeds. Displays in October.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Dark Gray
Bark detail
The bark of both young and old trees exhibit smooth, rounded interlacing ridges with shallow furrows.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gray/Silver; Green
Stem detail
The bark of branches is gray and smooth. Twigs are gray to grayish brown and stout. Young shoots are light green, light brown, or brown, densely pubescent. The terminal and stem buds are large at 1/2-3/4 inch, ovoid, with brown scales with hairs giving it the common name of Big-bud Hickory.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
S. Ontario to Central & E. U.S.A
Distribution
AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MO , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , WV
Wildlife value
The Mockernut hickory is a host plant for Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus) caterpillars which have one flight from June-August everywhere but Florida where they emerge April-May and many moths including the Luna moth. This is a larval host plant for butterflies and moths. It also supports Hickory Horndevil (Citheronia regalis) which have one brood and appear from May to mid-September. Adult Hickory Horndevil moths do not feed. The nuts are eaten by squirrels, chipmunks and black bears. Fruit is consumed by wood ducks, red-bellied woodpeckers, red fox, squirrels, beaver, eastern cottontail, eastern chipmunk, turkey, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and white-footed mice. Provide cavities for woodpeckers, black ratsnake, raccoons, and carolina chickadees
Attracts
Butterflies; Moths; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds