Shagbark Hickory | Carya ovata

🌿 Ships well rooted in a 3.5 x 9 inch deep tree pot. May arrive dormant and without leaves/foliage December through April. Grown from seed.

With its distinctive shaggy bark, sweet edible nuts, and towering presence, Shagbark Hickory is one of the most recognizable native trees in Eastern and Southeastern forests. This slow-growing hardwood makes an incredible legacy tree, offering beauty, shade, habitat, and food for generations to come.

Its nuts are smaller than those of Shellbark Hickory but just as flavorful, and the bark is often used in smoking meats or crafting syrup infusions.

Latin Name: Carya ovata
Size at Maturity: 60–80 ft tall, 40–60 ft wide
USDA Zone: 4–9
Site & Soil: Prefers deep, moist, well-drained soils but tolerates clay and drier conditions once established. Full sun to part shade.
Pests & Diseases: Very resilient and long-lived; occasional leaf spot or pests, but rarely serious

🌰 Uses:
Edible nuts (sweet and nutritious—great raw, roasted, or used in baking)
Bark traditionally used for smoking meat or making hickory syrup
Supports wildlife including squirrels, turkeys, deer, and birds
Strong, shock-resistant wood prized for furniture, tools, and firewood

🛠 Growing Tips:
Needs space and time—ideal for long-term landscapes
Develops a deep taproot early—best transplanted young with minimal root disturbance
For nut production, plant near another hickory species for pollination