Big Shellbark hickory, Kingnut Hickory
Carya laciniosa

Family: Juglandaceae

What it is like

A medium sized tree. It grows to 30 m high. The trunk can be 90 cm across. The trunk does not have branches for more than half its length. The trunk often tapers from the base up. The crown is often open with branches spreading out towards the top. The bark peels in 1 m long curving plates. The leaves have 7 or sometimes 9 leaflets. The leaves are 25-30 cm long. The leaflets are widest near the middle. The upper surface is dark yellowish-green. They are paler and hairy underneath. The central leaf stalk often remains after the leaflets have fallen. The male and female flowers are separate. The male or pollen flowers are in dense clusters of catkins. They occur at the base of new shoots. The female or seed flowers are in small clusters at the tips of new shoots. The fruit are almost round and 5-7 cm long. The husks are 6-12 mm thick and woody. They split along 4 lines to the base when ripe. The nuts have thicker shells with poorer cracking quality than Shagbark hickory. The kernels are sweet and edible.

There are about 14-25 Carya species.

Where it is found

They grow in rich, moist to wet soils in valleys and along stream banks. It suits hardiness zones 4-9.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Britain, Canada, Europe, India, North America, Northeastern India, USA

How it is used for food

The seeds are eaten. They can be eaten raw or used in cakes and pies. They are also roasted. The sap is sweet and can be boiled down to syrup.

Edible parts

Nuts, seeds, sap

How it is grown

Trees can live for 200 years.

Its other names

Local names

Hnum-rueh

Synonyms

Carya alba; Carya sulcata Nutt.; Juglans laciniosa F. Michx.; Hicoria laciniosa (F. Michx.) Sarg.;