OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Fabids: Fagales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Carya cordiformis   FAMILY Juglandaceae   Go to FSUS key



SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Carya cordiformis   FAMILY Juglandaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America

Carya cordiformis

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 053-02-003:

Carya cordiformis   FAMILY Juglandaceae

INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Hicoria cordiformis var. cordiformis

INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Hicoria cordiformis var. latifolia

 

COMMON NAME:
Bitternut Hickory


         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

Ron Lance    jkm110219_651

        

Note variation in husk thickness & dehiscence, and nut shape, size & sweetness.

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

Michigan Trees, a Project Gutenberg eBook    mit_illus_111

        

www.gutenberg.org/files/41394/41394-h/41394-h.htm

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

Manual of the Trees of North America (Exclusive of Mexico) (Sargent, 1905)    mtna_i_212

        

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913    pnd_caco15_003_lvd

        

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913    pnd_hico5_001_lvd

        

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_carya_cordiformis_19

January        

Twigs slender, terminal bud slightly flattened, elongated (1/2" long+), per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

JK Marlow    jkm090221_048

February    Richland County    SC

Congaree National Park

Bark grayish to brown, tight and smooth to shallowly furrowed, per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_c_cordiformis_1_bark

March    Floyd County    GA

Lock & Dam Park

Bark gray to brown, shallowly furrowed, tight, not becoming scaly or shaggy, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_carya_cordiformis_2

March        

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

JK Marlow    jkm140524_179

May    Spartanburg County    SC

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

JK Marlow    s060506_m

May    Oconee County    SC

Clemson Forest

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

JK Marlow    jkm190604_8985

June    Greenville County    SC

Tall Pines Wildlife Management Area

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

JK Marlow    jkm190604_8987

June    Greenville County    SC

Tall Pines Wildlife Management Area

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_carya_cordiformis_12

June        

Fruit beaked, narrowly winged along husk sutures, splitting part way, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_carya_cordiformis_8

June        

Leaves have 7-11 lance-shaped to obovate leaflets w sharply toothed margins, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

JK Marlow    jkm150808_681

August    McDowell County?    NC

Blue Ridge Parkway

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

JK Marlow    jkm150808_681b

August    McDowell County?    NC

Blue Ridge Parkway

Bud scales valvate, bright orange-yellow, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

JK Marlow    jkm181028_5383

October    McCormick County    SC

Parks Mill

Lower leaf surfaces pubescent, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_c_cordiformis_fruit_2

November        

Husks 1/16" thick or less, with yellowish hairs on surface, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).

image of Carya cordiformis, Bitternut Hickory

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_c_cordiformis_3_bark

December    Floyd County    GA

 

 

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Carya cordiformis   FAMILY Juglandaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Carya cordiformis   FAMILY Juglandaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Carya cordiformis

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 053-02-003:
Carya cordiformis   FAMILY Juglandaceae

INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Hicoria cordiformis var. cordiformis

INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Hicoria cordiformis var. latifolia

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

270

Tree
Perennial
Monoecious

Habitat: forests and woodlands, especially in rich, moist alluvial or slope forests, per Weakley's Flora

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

Common

map
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

LEAVES:
Deciduous
Odd-pinnately compound: 7-11 leaflets
Alternate

FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Staminate calyx 2-3 lobed
Inferior ovary
Unisexual

Staminate flowers in elongate catkins

FRUIT:
Fall
Nut

 

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!



 


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