Shagbark Hickory
Carya ovata · Juglandaceae (Walnut and Hickory family)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Pinnately compound deciduous leaf, typically with 5 leaflets
Shape
Elliptical to obovate leaflets with tapered, acute tips and cuneate bases
Margin
Serrate (finely toothed) with ciliate hairs along the edges
Arrangement
Alternate compound leaves along the woody stem
Venation
Pinnate venation with a prominent central midrib and clearly defined secondary veins branching out symmetrically
Description
Carya ovata is a large, stately deciduous tree easily recognized by its distinctive peeling gray bark that curls outward in long, vertical strips. The foliage consists of large, pinnately compound leaves that cast dense summer shade and turn brilliant golden-yellow in the fall.
Habitat
Found primarily in rich, moist upland forests, slopes, and ravines, as well as well-drained soils of bottomlands; prefers full sun to partial shade
Native Range
Native to eastern North America, spanning from southern Quebec and Ontario south to Georgia, Mississippi, and eastern Texas, extending west to Minnesota and Nebraska