Bitternut, Yellow bud Hickory

Carya cordiformis

» tall, slender, deciduous tree native to North Carolina. It can grow up to 80 feet tall and has a broad, pyramid-shaped crown.
» The tree is found on moist, rich soils in relatively open areas where it can find sun. It does not tolerate shade but will tolerate a variety of soil types.
» The bitternut hickory is also called bitternut, yellowbud hickory, or swamp hickory. It is a large pecan hickory with commercial stands located mostly north of the other pecan hickories.
» The bitternut hickory has the following growing conditions:
» Water use: Medium
» Light requirement: Sun, part shade, shade
» Soil moisture: Moist
» Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
» CaCO3 tolerance: High
» Soil description: Rich soils
» The bitternut hickory has brown to gray hard-husked nuts that are ripe in autumn. The nuts are inedible for humans, but many animals, such as squirrels, mice, and deer, consume them.
» The wood of the bitternut hickory is strong and has been used for:
» Yoke, Wheels, Tool handles, Ladders, Furniture, Firewood, BBQ smoking.
» The oil from the seeds has been used in the treatment of rheumatism. The bark is diuretic and laxative.
» The Morton Arboretum
» Can you eat nuts from bitternut hickory?
» What animals eat bitternut hickory nuts?
» What pests and diseases are on bitternut hickory?
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