Bitternut Hickory - Carya cordiformis
Bitternut Hickory, Bitternut, or Swamp Hickory is a fairly common large tree of bottomland forests, distinguished by valvate (bud scales not overlapping) sulphur-yellow buds and usually having 9 leaflets per leaf. The leaves are not particularly fragrant, unlike several similar hickory species.The bark is much tighter than on most hickories, lacking significant ridges and not peeling off in strips
Similar species: the Sand Hickory (Carya pallida) also has 9 leaflets and yellowish buds, but grows in dry habitats, has silvery leaf undersides, and spicily fragrant leaves; the Water Hickory (Carya aquatica, also called Bitter Pecan) of the Coastal Plain (though is reported from north Alabama including this county according to the Alabama Plant Atlas) lacks yellow buds, averages more leaflets (9-11), has slightly slightly more curved (falcate) leaves, and has shaggier bark.
Bitternut Hickory grows throughout the eastern United States from southwestern New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and southern Quebec; west to southern Ontario, central Michigan, and northern Minnesota; south to eastern Texas; and east to northwestern Florida and Georgia. It is most common, however, from southern New England west to Iowa and from southern Michigan south to Kentucky. It is probably the most abundant and most uniformly distributed of all the hickories.
Bitternut is used for lumber and pulpwood. Because bitternut hickory wood is hard and durable, it is used for furniture, paneling, dowels, tool handles and ladders. Like other hickories, the wood is used for smoking meat, and by Native Americans for making bows. Bitternut hickory seeds and its bark are eaten by wildlife.
Carya cordiformis hybridizes with Pecan - C . illinoinensis ( C . × brownii Sargent), Shagbark Hickory - C . ovata ( C . × laneyi Sargent), and Shellbark Hickory - C . laciniosa.
www.carolinanature.com/trees/caco.html
www.carolinanature.com/trees/caaq.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carya_cordiformis
www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=2...
www.floraofalabama.org/Plant.aspx?id=2361
www.floraofalabama.org/Plant.aspx?id=2363
Bitternut Hickory - Carya cordiformis
Bitternut Hickory, Bitternut, or Swamp Hickory is a fairly common large tree of bottomland forests, distinguished by valvate (bud scales not overlapping) sulphur-yellow buds and usually having 9 leaflets per leaf. The leaves are not particularly fragrant, unlike several similar hickory species.The bark is much tighter than on most hickories, lacking significant ridges and not peeling off in strips
Similar species: the Sand Hickory (Carya pallida) also has 9 leaflets and yellowish buds, but grows in dry habitats, has silvery leaf undersides, and spicily fragrant leaves; the Water Hickory (Carya aquatica, also called Bitter Pecan) of the Coastal Plain (though is reported from north Alabama including this county according to the Alabama Plant Atlas) lacks yellow buds, averages more leaflets (9-11), has slightly slightly more curved (falcate) leaves, and has shaggier bark.
Bitternut Hickory grows throughout the eastern United States from southwestern New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and southern Quebec; west to southern Ontario, central Michigan, and northern Minnesota; south to eastern Texas; and east to northwestern Florida and Georgia. It is most common, however, from southern New England west to Iowa and from southern Michigan south to Kentucky. It is probably the most abundant and most uniformly distributed of all the hickories.
Bitternut is used for lumber and pulpwood. Because bitternut hickory wood is hard and durable, it is used for furniture, paneling, dowels, tool handles and ladders. Like other hickories, the wood is used for smoking meat, and by Native Americans for making bows. Bitternut hickory seeds and its bark are eaten by wildlife.
Carya cordiformis hybridizes with Pecan - C . illinoinensis ( C . × brownii Sargent), Shagbark Hickory - C . ovata ( C . × laneyi Sargent), and Shellbark Hickory - C . laciniosa.
www.carolinanature.com/trees/caco.html
www.carolinanature.com/trees/caaq.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carya_cordiformis
www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=2...
www.floraofalabama.org/Plant.aspx?id=2361
www.floraofalabama.org/Plant.aspx?id=2363