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Pignut
hickory is a medium to large upland tree, usual] drier soils
in the center of the state and less frequently The tree reaches
heights of between 50 and 75 feet tall, N diameter of 1 to 3
feet.
Its leaves are 8 to 12 inches long with five (rarely 7) finely
toothed, sharp-pointed, tapering leaflets. The fruit is
not ribbed, is globular to pear-shaped, about 1 1/2 inches long
and is enclosed in a thin husk that remains closed or opens
only part way down the nut. The nutmeat is small and sweet.
The spreading, often drooping, branches form a tall, narrow
head. As the tree matures, the dark gray bark becomes
deeply fissured and separates into scaly ridges that form into
rough diamond patterns. The wood is heavy, hard, strong and
flexible.
The red hickory (Carya ovalis Wangenh Sarg.) differs from pignut
hickory in that its fruit is round and its bark frequently separates
into narrow, short plates or minute scales. It grows on
upland sites with black, red and white oaks.
The
sand hickory (Carya pallida (Ashe) Engl. & Graebn) is found
on sandy Piedmont soils and grows sparingly in mountains and
Coastal Plain. It has pale, delicate foliage. The leaves
are woolly or hairy underneath and, when young, covered with
silvery scales. The husks are thicker than those of the pignut.
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