Carya glabra
Photographs belong to the photographers who allow use for FNPS purposes only. Please contact the photographer for all other uses.
Pignut Hickory
Juglandaceae
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Tree | |
| Size: | 30-100 ft tall by 30-50 (100) ft wide | |
| Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | Yellow,green | |
| Fruit Color: | Brown | |
| Phenology: | Deciduous. Inconspicuous blooms in spring. Yellow in fall. Nuts ripen in fall. Lfe span 200+ yrs (much older trees are known) | |
| Noted for: | Fall color, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance |
Landscaping
| Recommended Uses: | Excellent specimen or shade tree in areas where its roots will not be disturbed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Considerations: | Does not tolerate root disturbance. The author has lost multiple trees due to a fungal root pathogen that was apparently able to enter the tree when roots were disturbed by vehicles and construction. Nut and leaf litter can be a problem in residential landscapes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propagation: | Seed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability: | Native nurseries, FNPS plant sales, Seed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Full Sun, Part Shade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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, Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | Mildly acidic to neutral | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecology
| Wildlife: |
A favorite food of squirrels. | |
| Insects: | 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: | Xeric hammock, mixed upland forest, pine-oak-hickory woods. |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
8A 8B 9A 9B
USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
| Ethnobotany: | Nuts vary but in general, they are bitter. | |
| General Comments: | Called pignut because pigs eat the nuts. |