Pignut Hickory Tree

A food staple fed to hogs by settlers, the Pignut Hickory Tree (Carya glabra) is a fantastic deciduous hardwood tree that features compound green leaves and yellowish-green catkins that become clusters of green-husked fall nuts!

Bird-friendly, and highly adaptable, Pignut Hickory trees are a highly ornamental shade and landscape tree, growing tall, straight, and with a beautiful vase-shaped canopy. The great green foliage fills out to create a lush deep shade that cools your home and reduces cooling costs. Native Pignut Hickory feature fall color is a vibrant yellow that positively glows! Set one so the setting sun shines through these trees and sets them alight in gold!

The nuts were considered too bitter for humans and only good for pigs, but chipmunks, squirrels, and other wildlife love them! Humans can eat them when they're ripe as well! The nuts attract loads of songbirds to feast among, nest, and shelter in the broad branches. Additionally, several species of butterfly and moth use Hickory as Host Plants for their larvae!

Cold-hardy and heat-tolerant throughout USDA planting zones 4-9, the winter silhouette and strong branching are accented by the thin, gray, rough bark that has textural crisscrossing cracks and scales. These native trees can reach a hefty 50-80 feet in maturity and can have a spread of 25-40 feet wide! However, because these are native trees, there is considerable variability throughout the species and based on growing conditions.

Planting and Application:

The Pignut has a tall, graceful habit and radiant golden fall color. Perfect lawn and specimen trees, these are lovely to adorn your front or backyard but give them some room to grow. The strong limbs are fantastic windbreaks, mighty lawn trees, and roosting for birds and wildlife!

A single specimen will set your front yard afire each fall and fill your backyard with birdsong. These are fantastic lawn and shade trees! You'll enjoy reduced cooling costs and increased home equity with a large long-lived tree like a Hickory. Plant in large open spaces and big backyards so a single tree can shade the entire area.

Since these trees are either male or female, be sure to plant in groups and create your very own nut tree grove - for both yourself and your wildlife! Bitternuts are classic bird sanctuaries, housing flocks of birds and supporting entire ecosystems among their branches!

• Gorgeous Green Compound Foliage
• Tall Open Canopy & Straight Trunked Legacy Trees
• Edible Nuts That Are Best For Wildlife
• Gorgeous Golden Fall Color
• Deciduous Hardwood Trees Related To Pecan/Walnuts
• Shade Trees, Grand Lawn Trees & Bird-Friendly Sanctuaries

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Hickory Trees need full sun and rich well-drained soils to do their best but these hardy natives adapt to a wide range of conditions and soil types including clay soil! Water young trees regularly while establishing, but after, these deer-resistant trees are adaptable to very moist conditions and occasional drought. Prune in late winter to remove crossing and damaged limbs and mulch the root zone to hold in moisture and insulate the roots.

• Full Sun
• Almost Any Well-Drained Soil - Tolerates Clay
• Thrives in Moist, Rich Soil
• Prune Late Winter
• Cold Hardy & Deer Resistant

Cold-hardy shady hardwood specimens, the Pignut Hickory Trees are large-scale natives that house tons of wildlife! Help retain the native biodiversity by ordering yours today at NatureHills.com!