JUGLANDACEAE 
Shagbark Hickory. Shellbark Hickory 
Carya ovata (Mill.) K. Koch [Hicoria ovata (Mill.) Britt.] 
[Carya alba Nutt.] 
HABIT.—A tree 60-80 feet high, with a slender, columnar 
trunk 1-2 feet in diameter; forming a narrow, somewhat open 
crown of stout, slightly spreading limbs and stout branchlets. 
LEAVES.—Alternate, compound, 8-14 inches long. Leaflets 
usually 5, the upper 5-7 inches long and 2-3 inches broad; sessile, 
except the terminal; obovate to oblong-lanceolate; finely serrate ; 
thick and firm; glabrous, dark green above, paler beneath and 
glabrous or puberulous. Petioles stout, smooth or hairy. Foliage 
fragrant when crushed. 
FLOWERS.—May, after the leaves; monoecious; the stam- 
inate hairy, greenish, in pendulous, ternate catkins 4-5 inches 
long, on a common peduncle about 1 inch long; scales 3-parted, 
bristle-tipped; stamens 4, with bearded, yellow anthers; the 
pistillate in 2-5-flowered spikes, %4 inch long, brown-tomen- 
tose; calyx 4-lobed, hairy; corolla 0; stigmas 2, large, fringed. 
FRUIT.—October; globular, 1-2 inches long, with thick 
husk separating completely; nut usually 4-ridged, with thick 
shell and large, sweet, edible kernel. 
WINTER-BUDS.—Terminal bud 14-34 inch long, broadly 
ovoid, obtuse, dark brown, pale-tomentose or nearly glabrous. 
BARK.—Twigs brownish, more or less downy, becoming 
smooth and grayish; thick and grayish on old trunks, separating 
into thick strips 1-3 feet long, free at one or both ends, giving a 
characteristic shaggy appearance. 
WOOD.—Heavy, very hard and strong, tough, close-grained, 
elastic, light brown, with thin, whitish sapwood. 
‘DISTRIBUTION.—Common in the Lower Peninsula as far 
north as Roscommon County. 
HABITAT.—Prefers light, well-drained, loamy. soil; low 
hillsides; river-banks. 
NOTES.—Hardy throughout its range. Moderately rapid in 
growth. Difficult to transplant. 
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