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Pignut Hickory

Carya glabra

Upland hickory of dry oak-hickory forests, with excellent wildlife value and golden fall color. The nut varies tree to tree from sweet to bitter and astringent and is generally considered inferior eating among the hickories; the sap has been tapped in spring for a sweet drink.

Family

Juglandaceae

Type

tree

Lifespan

perennial

Height

50–80 ft

Spacing

25–40 ft apart

Light

sun, part shade, shade

Soil moisture

dry

Soil pH

acidic, neutral

Bloom

April

Bloom colors

yellow, green, brown

Wildlife value

songbirds, butterflies, larval host

Caterpillar hosts

~235 butterfly & moth species

Landscape uses

naturalizing

Native states

AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WV