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mockernut hickory

Scientific Name: Carya alba

Family: Juglandaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Tree

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Mockernut Hickory (Carya tomentosa)

The Mockernut Hickory, scientifically known as Carya tomentosa, is a notable tree belonging to the Juglandaceae family. It is recognized by several common names, including mockernut, white hickory, whiteheart hickory, hognut, and bullnut.

Considerations for Pets

  • Hickory fruits consist of hard-shelled nuts surrounded by a woody husk.

Considerations for Children

  • Hickory fruits consist of hard-shelled nuts surrounded by a woody husk.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Carya tomentosa (L.) Nutt.
  • Family: Juglandaceae (Walnut family)
  • Synonyms:
    • Carya alba (L.) Nutt. ex Ell. (formerly Carya tomentosa Nutt.)
    • Juglans tomentosa

Distribution and Habitat

  • The Mockernut Hickory is abundant in the eastern United States, ranging from eastern Massachusetts to Florida.
  • It is particularly common southward through Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida.
  • It is also found in Germany, where individual trees are registered.
  • This tree typically grows in dry land, on slopes, and ridges.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • The Mockernut Hickory is a medium to large deciduous tree.
  • It typically grows to a height of 60-80 feet, but can reach up to 100 feet on good soil.
  • The trunk is straight and can reach up to 3 feet in diameter.
  • It features a rounded crown and a rough, dark bark with shallow furrows.
  • Leaves are alternate, pinnately compound, with 5 to 9 leaflets.
  • The heartwood is light to medium brown with a reddish hue, while the sapwood is a paler yellowish-brown.
  • This species is monoecious, producing separate male (staminate) and female (pistillate) flowers on the same tree.
  • Hickory fruits consist of hard-shelled nuts surrounded by a woody husk, measuring 3.8 to 5 cm long with a 3 to 6 mm thick husk.

Quirky Facts

  • The Mockernut Hickory gets its name from its large nuts with thick shells but relatively small kernels.
  • It is a very slow-growing and long-lived tree, capable of reaching ages of up to 500 years.
  • The nuts and husks have been used to make "hickory syrup."
  • A champion specimen in Morgan County, Ohio, measured 88 feet tall in 1964.