Hickory

Hickory (carya) Hickory can not be shipped to CA or TX due to state restrictions Hickory is one of my favorite trees to find in the landscape. Their fall color is a stunning yellow and they support many species of insect and animals. The nuts are a valuable food source in the fall and early winter. The main hickory species we work with are yellowbud aka bitternut, shagbark, shellbark, and to a lesser extent pignut and mockernut. Each species has its own pros and cons but I feel that they are all well worth growing.  Mockernut and pignut are incredibly drought adapted but have shells that are difficult to crack. Shagbark and shell bark can be easier to crack but depending on the genetics can still be tricky. Shagbark likes drier sites while shellbark likes it wetter. Some modern breeding efforts have worked to select varieties of hickory with thinner shells that crack similar to pecans, a hickory relative. The genetics we have available today are only here because of thousands of years