Shagbark and Shellbark Hickory

Shagbark and Shellbark Hickory 1-Year-Old Bare Root Seedlings

Carya ovata and Carya laciniosa

These are my current favorite plant of all time. Hickories are gorgeous, long-lived trees, that produce the tastiest nuts known to man and support over 200 butterfly and moth caterpillar species. They are recognized as a keystone plant among the Eastern Temperate forests (crucial for supporting native ecosystems.) They are easy to grow. And will produce more nuts than you'll know what to do with. For generations. 

I've collected seeds from a few different sources. Some are wild seeds, and some are seeds collected from high-quality named cultivars.

When you purchase the plant it will be bare root (no soil around the roots.) The tree has gone into dormancy for the winter at this point, so it can be dug up and transplanted with almost no stress to the tree. You just have to make sure the roots stay moist. You'll receive the tree in a pot with moist woodchips or in a bag with moist paper towels wrapped around the roots. It could stay like this for weeks (as long as the roots are kept moist) but I strongly suggest planting in the ground soon after purchase. 

Shagbark Hickory nuts are widely considered some of the tastiest nuts on the planet. Shellbarks are typically much larger than Shagbark, but not as tasty. (I still find Shellbarks to be in my top 5 favorite nuts. I compare them to a sweeter and more flavorful pecan.)

The one downside to Hickories is that they haven't experienced the same breeding efforts as their cousins the Pecans. This means that the nuts are harder to shell than pecans and the trees are slower to produce. These seedlings will take at least 10 years before they start producing nuts. And they often won't reach full maturity until about year 30 or 40.

Different Offerings:

Shagbark Seedlings from Wild Foraged Nuts 

Shagbark Seedlings from "Grainger" Nuts

The "Grainger" tree was discovered in Tennesee in 1935. It produces a regular crop of easy-to-shell nuts. That are massive. They are some of the biggest Shagbark Hickory nuts I've seen. These are seedlings grown from "Grainger" nuts, so I cannot guarantee exactly how they will do compared to their parent tree. That being said, growers have found that about 1 in 4 children from "Grainger" produce as well if not better. 

Shellbark Seedlings from a Local Orchard

I do not know the name of the parent these came from, but I do know they are from a select variety tree. They are quite tasty, easy enough to shell, and characteristically large.

Important Note: You'll need to plant at least two seedlings to ensure pollination. While Shagbark and Shellbark can cross-pollinate, I'd suggest two of the same variety to ensure pollination.

Size/Spacing:

These will grow to be about 60-80' tall and about 30-50' wide. Space them at least 40' apart.

Site Preference:

These are quite hardy plants. You'll want to plant them in full sun, but they can handle some shade when young. So you could plant them under some smaller trees when young and expect them to grow above and shade out those trees in a decade or two. They prefer loose well-drained soil full of organic matter, but they should be able to handle most soil conditions. 

Hardiness:

USDA Zones 4-8.