Carya tomentosa
Mockernut Hickory
Juglandaceae
Also known as Carya alba
Plant Specifics
Form: | Tree | |
Size: | 60-80 (90) ft tall by 40-50 ft wide | |
Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
Flower Color: | NA | |
Fruit Color: | Brown | |
Phenology: | Deciduous | |
Noted for: | Fall color |
Landscaping
Recommended Uses: | Large shade tree. Plant where falling/fallen nuts will not be a problem. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Considerations: | Plant where nut and leaf litter will not be a problem. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Propagation: | Seed. Difficult to transplant unless done when small enough not to impact the top root. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Availability: | Native nurseries | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Light: | Full Sun, Part Shade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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(Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Somewhat long very dry periods) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Moisture Tolerance: | Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Somewhat 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: | Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Soil pH: | Acidic to neutral |
Ecology
Wildlife: |
Small mammals and other wildlife consume nuts. | |
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: | Dry hammocks, dry hardwood forests |
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 are edible. The wood is prized for furniture, flooring, tool handles, baseball bats, skis, and veneer. Hickory wood has a very high fuel value, both as firewood and as charcoal, and is the preferred wood for smoking hams. |