48 



Common Trees 



BITTERNUT HICKORY 



Carya cordiformis, (Wangenheim) K. Koch 



THE Bitternut Hickory, also called Swamp Hickory and 

 Water Hickory, is usually found in moist to wet loca- 

 tions. One usually finds it in low and fertile situations in 

 rich agricultural valleys, but in southeastern Ohio it also 

 occupies the upper slopes. It is the most handsome of the 

 native hickories. 



The leaves are alter- 

 nate, compound, 6 to 

 10 inches long, with 7 

 to 1 1 leaflets. Leaflets 

 are long, narrow, sharp- 

 pointed, without stalks 

 except the terminal one. 

 They are smaller and 

 slenderer than those of 

 other hickories. 



The flowers arc of 

 two kinds. They occur 

 on same tree. The pol- 

 len-bearing occur in 

 drooping tassels, 3 to 4 

 inches long. The nut- 

 producing occur in few-flowered clusters on new growth. 



The fruit is a thin-shelled nut with bitter kernel cov- 

 ered with a thin-shelled husk, which splits to middle into 4 

 valves. Winged projections mark meeting line of husk sec- 

 tions from apex to middle. 



The bark is light gray, rather thin, roughened by shallow 

 furrows, does not scale nor shag off. The twigs are slender, 

 smooth, grayish to orange-brown or reddish. The buds are 

 long, flattened, blunt-pointed, covered by 4 yellowish (sul- 

 phur-colored) scales. 



The wood is heavy, hard, strong, somewhat brittle. It 

 is inferior to that of other hickories, but used for practically 

 the same purposes. 



The Bitternut Hickory is found from Quebec to Minne- 

 sota, south to Florida and Texas. It is generally distrib- 

 uted throughout Ohio. This tree may attain a height of 

 100 feet and 3 feet in diameter. It grows best on rich, 

 moist soil such as is found in the farm woodlot. 



BITTERNUT HICKORY 

 One-fourth natural size. 



