Mockernut Hickory(Carya alba) Orange Co., NC 24 June 2009
Common and widespread in wooded habitats in North Carolina, Mockernut Hickory has large leaves usually with 7 or 9 leaflets.
Mockernut Hickory(Carya alba) Orange Co., NC 24 June 2009
Leaves are usually quite tomentose or fuzzy, and have a pleasing spicy fragrance when rubbed.
Mockernut Hickory(Carya alba) Orange Co., NC 24 June 2009
Leaflet margin detail.
Mockernut Hickory(Carya alba) Orange Co., NC 24 June 2009
Many books and authorities give this species the name Carya tomentosa, but it has recently been shown that its correct name under the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature should be C. alba.
Mockernut Hickory(Carya alba) Orange Co., NC 24 June 2009
Bark is tight with a pattern of interlocking ridges and diamonds. Young tree shown here.
Bitternut Hickory(Carya cordiformis) Shoreline along Falls Lake, Durham Co., NC 6 Sep 2008
Nuts are bitter to taste and have wings that extend about halfway (or a little more) down the side of the fruit.
Bitternut Hickory(Carya cordiformis) Shoreline along Falls Lake, Durham Co., NC 6 Sep 2008
Buds are described as sulfer yellow and have 4-6 valvate scales.
Bitternut Hickory(Carya cordiformis) Shoreline along Falls Lake, Durham Co., NC 6 Sep 2008
Bark is tight, not shaggy. Bitternut Hickory is common in NC, especially on forest slopes and in rich bottomlands.
Pignut Hickory(Carya glabra) Orange Co., NC 24 June 2009
Common statewide in North Carolina in wooded habitats. Leaves usually have 5 leaflets and are glabrous (not hairy) on the upper surfaces and usually most of the lower leaf surfaces as well.
Pignut Hickory(Carya glabra) Orange Co., NC 24 June 2009
Pignut Hickory(Carya glabra) Orange Co., NC 24 June 2009
The glabrous undersurface of these leaves along with the "normal" sized fruits indicate this is Carya glabra var. glabra.
Pignut Hickory(Carya glabra) Orange Co., NC 24 June 2009
Developing bud. Mature buds may be somewhat scaly or fuzzy and are fairly large, up to 1.5cm long.
Pignut Hickory(Carya glabra) Orange Co., NC 24 June 2009
These immature fruits had fallen from the tree. Note they're slighly ridged and snouted.
Pignut Hickory(Carya glabra) Orange Co., NC 24 June 2009
Bark of medium tree is tight, showing a pattern of interweaving ridges and diamond-shapes.
Pecan(Carya illinoiensis) Planted in yard in Orange Co., NC 28 Sep 2008
Planted for nuts and landscaping purposes, Pecan is not native to North Carolina. Pecan natively grows along the Mississippi valley in the south and central US.
Pecan(Carya illinoiensis) Planted in yard in Orange Co., NC 28 Sep 2008
Note "wings" along sides of fruits.
Pecan(Carya illinoiensis) Planted in yard in Orange Co., NC 28 Sep 2008
Leaves are alternate, compound, and have 11-19 leaflets, the most of any hickory found in NC.
Pecan(Carya illinoiensis) Planted in yard in Orange Co., NC 28 Sep 2008
Perhaps Red Hickory(Carya ovalis) Edge of woods on Duke's campus, Durham Co., NC 3 Sep 2008
Perhaps Red Hickory(Carya ovalis) Edge of woods on Duke's campus, Durham Co., NC 3 Sep 2008
Carolina Shagbark Hickory, Southern Shagbark Hickory(Carya carolinae-septentrionalis) Duke Forest, Durham, NC 4 Nov 2009
Uncommon in the NC piedmont, this hickory generally grows in more upland habitats than C. ovata.
Carolina Shagbark Hickory, Southern Shagbark Hickory(Carya carolinae-septentrionalis) Duke Forest, Durham, NC 4 Nov 2009
Compared to C. ovata, C. carolinae-septentrionalis has thinner and blacker twigs, shorter buds, smaller leaves with smaller leaflets, and smaller nuts.
Carolina Shagbark Hickory, Southern Shagbark Hickory(Carya carolinae-septentrionalis) Duke Forest, Durham, NC 4 Nov 2009
Southern Shagbark Hickory nuts.
Annotated habitat and distribution information listed above is from Radford, Ahles, & Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC Press; Alan Weakley's Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia; and from personal observations and discussions with Will Cook, Harry LeGrand, and Bob Wilbur. Supplemental resources include USDA plants website, and NatureServe.
