Red Hickory (Carya ovalis)
DBH 34.3 (cm) measured on 10/09/2020
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Carya ovalis, thered hickoryorsweet pignut hickory, is a fairly uncommon but widespreadhickorynative to eastern North America. It is typically found growing in dry, well drained sandy upland ridges and sloped woodlands from southernOntario,Canada, and in theUnited Stateseast toNew Hampshire, south to northernFloridawest to easternTexasand north-west toNebraska.[2]This species was formerly treated as a variety or northernecotypeof thepignut hickoryC. glabra, described asCarya glabravar.odorata. This discrepancy has not yet been completely resolved, and some sources and authors still consider red hickory as a variety or synonym of pignut hickory.[3]However both trees are quite morphologically distinct.
Description
The red hickory is generally encountered as a medium-sizedtree, capable of growing to 30m (100ft) in height.[4]The singletrunkis straight and often continues for the entire height of the tree, although sometimes splits into several large limbs once the canopy has been breached. Thebranchesare strong, stout and long, ascending in the uppercrownand drooping in the lower crown; the branches around mid-height are more or less horizontal. This creates a broad, thick, column-shaped form that casts dense shade. Individuals have been known to live from 100–250 years of age.
Theleavesare pinnatelycompound, typically producing 5-9leaflets(7 being the most common). Theterminal leafletis often the largest, with the auxiliary leaflets decreasing in size from the tip to the base of therachis. Leaflets are broadest above or at theirmedianlength, with finelyserratedmargins. They are dark green and smooth orglaucousabove and paler and finelypubescentunderneath. the rachis of the leaves are usually bright red or purple in color, a distinctive feature of red hickory that helps to separate it from pignut hickory.[5]
The bark of a mature red hickory
Thebarkof mature trees is grey, composed of tight, flat-topped intersecting ridges that can appear quite blocky but are generally strap-like. Occasionally, the ridges may separate from the trunk in peeling strips, loose at both ends, a trait characteristic ofShagbarkandShellbark Hickories. Young, vigorously growing trees are more prone to producing peeling bark than mature individuals.
Like all hickories, the fruit is a small round or slightly ellipticalnut, born singly or in groups of 2-3 on the ends of bearing branches. When immature, the nut is encased in a thin, greenhuskwith 4 distinct seams. Upon maturity (late September to mid-October) the husk changes from being green, fleshy and flexible to dark brown and very brittle. The seams then split from the base upwards and may or may not completely separate from the ripe nut. The nut itself is smooth, tan to beige in color and has 4 shallow ridges from the seams. The innerkernelis very oily and varies in flavor from bitter and unpalatable to mildly sweet. For such as small nut, the shell is thick and the kernel difficult to extract. These nuts are relished by countless wildlife species, including manyrodentsandbirds, as well asraccoonsandwild turkeys.
Theflowersemerge in the spring at the same times as the developing leaves (early to late May). The male flowers are long, green, inconspicuous droopingcatkinsthat develop between the base of the petiole and the developing twig. The female flowers are bizarre looking, with a tuft of sticky green tissue emerging from a swollen base. These develop individually or in groups at the end of a new twig, after the expanding leaves. All hickories are self-infertile andmonoecious.