Hickory (Carya spp.) is composed of at least 16 species native to Asia [4], Central America [4] and North America [1]). The word carya is from the Greek name for nut. This group can be split into the true hickories and the pecans based on microanatomy.

True Hickory Group (earlywood with parenchyma bands):

Carya glabra bitternut, black hickory, broom hickory, brown hickory, coast

pignut hickory, false shagbark, hard shell, little pignut, little shagbark, nutmeg hickory, oval pignut hickory, pignut, pignut hickory, red hickory, redheart hickory, small fruited hickory, small pignut, smoothbark hickory, swamp hickory, sweet hick­ory, sweet pignut, sweet pignut hickory, switch-bud hickory, true hickory, white hickory

Carya lacinosa big shagbark, big shagbark hickory, big shellbark, big shellbark

hickory, bigleaf shagbark hickory, bottom shellbark, king nut, ridge hickory, shellbark hickory, thickbark hickory, thick shellbark, thick shellbark hickory, true hickory, western shellbark

Carya ovata bird’s eye hickory, Carolina hickory, curly hickory, littlenut
shagbark hickory, little pignut, little shagbark, mockernut hick­ory, red hickory, redheart hickory, scalybark hickory, shagbark, shagbark hickory, shagbark walnut, shellbark, shellbark hick­ory, shellbark tree, skid hickory, small pignut, small pignut hickory, southern hickory, southern shagbark hickory, southern shellbark, sweet walnut, true hickory, upland hickory, white hickory, whiteheart hickory, white walnut

Carya tomentosa big-bud, big hickory, black hickory, bullnut, common hickory,

hardbark hickory, hickory-nut, hognut, mockernut, mockernut hickory, red hickory, true hickory, white hickory, whiteheart hickory

Pecan Hickory Group (earlywood without parenchyma bands):

Carya aquatica bitter pecan, bitter water hickory, faux hickory, lowground hick

ory, lowland hickory, noot hickory, not hickory, pecan, pecan hickory, pignut hickory, swamp hickory, water bitternut, water hickory, wild pecan

Carya cordiformis bitter hickory, bitternut, bitternut hickory, bitter pecan tree,

bitter pignut, butternut, butternut hickory, highland hickory, pig hickory, pignut, pignut hickory, pig walnut, redheart hickory, swamp hickory, white hickory, yellowbud hickory Carya floridana*        Florida hickory, scrub hickory

Carya illinoensis faux hickory, pecan, pecan hickory, pecan nut, pecan tree, sweet pecan

Carya myristicaeformis bitter water hickory, bitter waternut, blasted pecan, nutmeg hickory, scalybark hickory, shagbark, shagbark hickory, shell- bark hickory, swamp hickory, upland hickory

Carya pallida pale hickory, paleleaf hickory, pallid hickory, pignut hickory,

sand hickory

Carya texana black hickory, buckley hickory, pignut hickory, Texas hickory

* not commercial

Distribution: Eastern to midwestern United States.

The Tree: Hickory trees can reach a height of 140 ft (43 m), with a diameter of 4 ft (1.2 m).

General Wood Characteristics: The sapwood of hickory is white, tinged with brown, while the heartwood is pale to reddish brown. The wood is known for its strength and shock resistance. It is difficult to dry or season. It rates above average in most working properties, except in shaping and nail-holding ability. The wood of pecans is rated slightly below that of true hickories.

Weighta

Weight Moisture content        Specific gravity lb/ft3        kg/m3

True Hickory Group

Carya glabra (pignut hickory)

Green        0.66        63        1,009

12%        0.75        52        833

Ovendry        NA        NA        NA

Carya lacinosa (shellbark hickory)

Green        0.62        62        993

12%        0.69        48        769

Ovendry        NA        NA        NA

Carya ovata (shagbark hickory)

Green        0.64        64        1,025

12%        0.72        50        801

Ovendry        NA        NA        NA

Carya tomentosa (mockernut hickory)

Green        0.64        64        1,025

12%        0.72        51        817

Ovendry        NA        NA        NA

Pecan Hickory Group

Carya aquatica (water hickory)

Green        0.61        68        1,089

12%        0.62        43        689

Ovendry        NA        NA        NA

Carya cordiformis (bitternut hickory)

Green        0.60        63        1,009

12%        0.66        46        737

Ovendry        NA        NA        NA

Carya illinoensis (pecan)

Green        0.60        61        977

12%        0.66        46        737

Ovendry        0.69        NA        NA

Carya myristicaeformis (nutmeg hickory)

Green        0.56        60        961

12%        0.60        42        673

Ovendry        NA        NA        NA

Mechanical propertiesa

Property        Green        Dry

True Hickory Group

Carya glabra (pignut hickory)

 

 

Drying and shrinkagea

Kiln drying schedulea

4/4, 5/4, 6/4        8/4        10/4        12/4        16/4

Condition        stock        stock        stock        stock stock

Standard        T8-D3        T6-D1        NA        NA        NA

aReferences (6, 86).

Working Properties: Hickory is considered difficult to machine and glue. It holds nails well, but it tends to split. It is susceptible to bird peck.

Durability: Rated as slightly or nonresistant to heartwood decay. Preservation: Extremely resistant.

Uses: Tool handles, furniture, cabinetry, ladder rungs, dowels, sporting goods (including baseball bats, skis and archery equipment), flooring, veneer, plywood, fuelwood, charcoal.

Toxicity: No information available at this time.

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