Nutmeg hickory, Bitter water hickory
Carya myristiciformis
Family: Juglandaceae
What it is like
A tree. It grows 21 m high and spreads 8 m wide. The bark is dark brown. The new shoots have glossy yellow scales. The leaves are green. They have broadly oval leaflets. The end leaflet is larger. The leaflets are white underneath. The flowers are very small and greenish. The male flowers have 6-7 stamen and the flowers are in slender drooping catkins. There are 3 hanging from one stalk. There are 2-10 female flowers at the tip of the same twig. The fruit is an egg shaped nut. It is 3-4 cm long. It is rust coloured. The shell is hard and grooved. The seed is edible.
There are about 14-25 Carya species.
Where it is found
t. It is a subtropical planIt grows up to 150 m altitude in the southern USA. It grows in moist soils in valleys. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia, Mexico, North America, USA
How it is used for food
The nuts are eaten.
Edible parts
Seeds, nuts
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Nogal