THE PIGNUT HICKORY 



THE Pignut Hickory is most easily distinguished in summer by the glabrous 

 petioles and the small leaflets, the latter being smooth and generally five to 

 seven on each leaf. In autumn it is distinguished by the fact that the fruit- 

 husk does not split to the base, as well as by its small yellowish-brown buds. The quality 

 of the kernel of the nut varies greatly, commonly being bitter but sometimes having a 

 sweetish taste. The nut is rather small, with a thick or thin shell that is usually more or 

 less four-angled toward the tip. 



For a Hickory the outline of the Pignut tree in winter is graceful and attractive. 

 This is largely due to the fact that the twigs are unusually slender, so that their tracery 

 against the sky as seen at a little distance seems composed of delicate lines. The bark of 

 the young shoots is of a reddish-brown or brownish-red color, marked with linear whitish 

 spots. The bark of the trunk is dark gray in color, and is rather smooth, not being so 

 closely and distinctly furrowed as is that of the Mockernut, nor peeling off in great scales 

 as does that of the Shellbark Hickory. 



The flowers of the Pignut develop rather late in spring, about the time the leaves 

 are nearly full grown, and resemble in their general structure those of the other Hickories. 

 The yellowish anthers are partially clothed with whitish hairs. The fully-developed leaves 

 have the blades yellowish green on the upper surface and paler on the under surface. In 

 autumn they change to a yellowish or an orange brown before falling. 



The Pignut is essentially a tree of upland rather than lowland habitat. It has a 

 wide range, extending from Maine and Ontario west to Michigan and Nebraska, and south 

 to Texas and Florida. Like so many other trees, it reaches its largest size in the Ohio 

 Valley, where trees one hundred and twenty feet high with a trunk diameter of five feet 

 are sometimes found. Generally, however, in other parts of its range the tree is much 

 smaller when it attains its full size. Young trees may be raised from the nuts, and a few 

 add variety and interest to any place of pretentious size. 



Eleven species of hickories are commonly recognized in America, North of Mexico. 

 Aside from those already discussed the Big Shellbark or Bottom Shellbark (Hicoria 

 laciniosa) is one of the most important. It is a tall tree rather common in the Central 

 West, which bears large nuts that are commonly sold in the markets of many cities. 



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