FNPS Plant Database
Carya aquatica
water hickory
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Nomenclature
Common Name:
water hickory
Synonym(s):
Genus species:
Carya aquatica
Family:
Juglandaceae
Plant Specifics
Form:
tree
Size:
30-80 (100) ft tall by 25-50 ft wide
Life Span:
long-lived perennial, with a lifespan of 150+ years
Flower Color:
Fruit Color:
brown
Phenology:
deciduous; inconspicuous blooms in early spring, with fruits ripening in fall
Noted For:
Landscaping
Recommended Uses:
Specimen tree in wet settings. This is a good plant to grow in floodplains.
Considerations:
Nut and leaf drop can be messy in a home landscape.
Availability:
Propagation:
seed (nut)
Light:
Moisture Tolerance:
Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry
Stays Wet ---to--- Not wet but not extremely dry
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:
Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water
Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
Soil or Other Substrate:
Loam, Organic (muck), Sand
Soil pH:
adaptable
Suitable to Grow In:
8A, 8B, 9A, 9B
USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Ecology
Wildlife:
Ducks and other wildlife consume nuts.
Larval host for many moths including; luna moth (Actias luna), hickory leafroller moth (Argyrotaenia juglandana), royal walnut moth (Citheronia regalis), and walnut sphinx (Amorpha juglandis).
Native Habitats:
Swamps
Natural Range in Florida:
Visit the USF Libraries Atlas of Florida Plants
Comments:
Ethnobotany:
Nuts are bitter.
General Comments:
Citations:
Koeser, A. K., G. Hasing, M. H. Friedman, and R. B. Irving. 2015. Trees: North and Central Florida. UF/IFAS Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology, Gainesville.
Nelson, Gil. 1994. The Trees of Florida: A Reference and Field Guide. Pineapple Press: Sarasota.
Nelson, Gil. 2003. Florida's Best Landscape Plants: 200 Readily Available Species for Homeowners and Professionals. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.
Patton, Sean, and Kendall Southworth. 2025. Florida's Aquatic Butterfly Gardens: How to Create a Beautiful Backyard Habitat for Attracting 70+ Species with 100+ Native Plants. Pineapple Press, Palm Beach.
