Carya glabra seed
LATIN NAME: Carya glabra
COMMON NAME: Pignut Hickory, Smoothbark Hickory, Swamp Hickory
The pignut hickory is a solid, dependable tree of the American woodlands, and it has been feeding wildlife and people for centuries. It grows as a tall, stately deciduous tree, reaching twenty-five metres or more, with a narrow, rounded crown of compound leaves made of five or seven glossy green leaflets, and smooth, grey bark that is tightly furrowed. In autumn it bears clusters of pear-shaped nuts, which ripen in September and October and have a sweet, maple-like smell. The nuts are too small and bitter for people to bother much with, but they are a vital food for squirrels, deer, turkeys and many other animals, which is how the tree got its humble name.
The pignut hickory belongs to the walnut family, Juglandaceae, and it is native to the eastern United States and Canada, where it is a common member of the oak-hickory forest. It is a tough, hardy tree that thrives in a wide range of soils, and it is one of the most important trees of the eastern woodlands.
Positive & Encouraging Seed Germination Guide
Growing a pignut hickory from seed is easy and very rewarding. The nuts ripen in autumn and are best sown fresh, since they germinate after a period of cold, moist conditions. Sow them in deep pots of free-draining compost, about two centimetres deep, and leave them outdoors through winter in a cold frame or a sheltered, shaded spot. Germination usually begins in spring, with sturdy seedlings. Pot them on as they grow and plant them out in a sunny, well-drained spot once they are established. A pignut hickory you have raised from seed will grow into a fine, long-lived woodland tree.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The pignut hickory has a genuine place in forestry and ecological research. As a common and important member of the oak-hickory forest of the eastern United States, it has been studied in ecology for its role in the woodland, its growth and its value as a food tree for wildlife, and its nuts are important in research on animal diets and forest regeneration. The wood is hard, heavy and strong, and the tree has been studied in forestry for its use as fuel, tool handles and other products, with a long history of use in the region. As a member of the walnut family, it has also been of interest in research on the family and its relatives, including the pecan. For a tree of such quiet importance, the pignut hickory has a steady and practical record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Ecologically, the pignut hickory is a keystone of the eastern woodland. Its nuts are a vital autumn food for squirrels, deer, turkeys, woodpeckers and many other animals, and its tall canopy gives shelter and nesting sites for a great range of wildlife.
Its economic value is real, though modest. The hard, strong wood is used for fuel, tool handles, furniture and smoking meats, and the tree is also planted as an ornamental and a shade tree, while its nut production is valued by wildlife and by hunters. For a grower, the pignut hickory is a dependable and useful tree, and for a gardener it brings a solid, stately presence and a tree that feeds the wild neighbours.
Edible parts of Pignut: Seed – raw or cooked. Very variable in quality, some are sweet and pleasant whilst others are bitter and astringent. In general it is inferior to other hickories. The nut is rather small, has a very thick shell and contains very little edible matter. The seed ripens in late autumn and, when stored in its shell in a cool place, will keep for at least 6 months. Sap – tapped in spring and used as a refreshing drink. Sweet.
Other uses of Pignut: Wood – hard, strong, tough, very flexible. It weighs 51lb per cubic foot. An excellent timber, it is used for tool handles, agricultural implements etc. A very good fuel, burning well and giving off a lot of heat.