1 / 9

Carya cordiformis

bitternut hickory

Juglandaceae Eastern North America

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 4–9

Overview

Carya cordiformis is a large deciduous tree of eastern North America, typically 50-80 feet (15-24 m) tall and occasionally reaching 100 feet (30 m), with a tall, straight trunk and a broad, rounded crown. The pinnately compound leaves are 6-10 inches (15-25 cm) long with 7-11 slender, toothed leaflets that turn yellow in autumn. Its most reliable feature is the naked winter buds, which are bright sulphur-yellow and covered in tiny scurfy scales. Grey bark develops shallow, interlacing ridges with age. The tree is wind-pollinated: drooping yellow-green male catkins and small female flowers open in spring as the leaves expand. Thin-husked nuts about 0.8-1.2 inches (2-3 cm) wide ripen in autumn; the kernel is extremely bitter and is not eaten by people, though wildlife takes some. The species grows in moist bottomlands, stream terraces, and rich slopes, and develops a deep taproot that makes large trees hard to transplant. Like other plants in the walnut family, its roots and litter release juglone, which can suppress sensitive plants growing beneath it.

Native Range

Native to eastern and central North America, from Quebec and Ontario south to the Gulf states and west to the eastern Great Plains.

Suggested Uses

Used as a shade and canopy tree in large parks, naturalized woodlands, and bottomland restoration. Its nuts and foliage support wildlife, and its wood is used for tool handles and smoking. It is too large and litter-prone for small residential lots.

How to Identify

The surest mark is the slender, naked winter bud coated in sulphur-yellow scurf, unlike the brown overlapping buds of other hickories. Leaves are pinnately compound with 7-11 narrow, toothed leaflets, more leaflets than most hickories carry. Nuts are nearly round with a thin husk that splits only partway and a four-winged ridge along the upper seam.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height50' - 80'

Width/Spread40' - 50'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~2 weeks

Spring

Yellow-green catkins and small female flowers open in April and May as the new leaves expand. Pollination is by wind. Flowering lasts about one to two weeks and is easy to overlook.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

medium green, yellow in autumn

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay silt

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

30-40 years to heavy nut production; long-lived

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Carya cordiformis grows in full sun to partial shade on moist, fertile, well-drained soils and tolerates seasonally wet bottomland. It transplants most successfully as a young tree because of its deep taproot, and it resents root disturbance once established. It needs little care after the first few years and is largely free of serious pests. The juglone in its roots and fallen leaves can affect sensitive plants nearby, so underplanting is limited to juglone-tolerant species. Falling nuts and husks create autumn litter beneath the canopy. It needs no routine feeding in reasonable soil.

Pruning

Prune in late winter while the tree is dormant to take out dead, crossing, or damaged wood and to establish a strong central leader when young. Heavy cutting on mature trees heals slowly and is generally avoided. Little pruning is needed once a sound framework is formed.

✓ Toxicity

Non-toxic

1 / 9

Tree

Carya cordiformis

bitternut hickory

Juglandaceae Eastern North America

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 4–9

Overview

Native Range

Native to eastern and central North America, from Quebec and Ontario south to the Gulf states and west to the eastern Great Plains.

Suggested Uses

How to Identify

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height50' - 80'

Width/Spread40' - 50'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~2 weeks

Spring

Yellow-green catkins and small female flowers open in April and May as the new leaves expand. Pollination is by wind. Flowering lasts about one to two weeks and is easy to overlook.