Scientific Name
Carya ovata
A shagbark hickory is one of the most instantly recognizable native American trees — at least for those who have spent time in the eastern United States. There are very few growing in Colorado, for reasons that likely make sense to most people: they are slow-growing, especially during their first 10 years; they are rarely sold in the nursery trade; and they develop a deep taproot that can make them difficult to transplant. As a result, the most likely place to find one outside its native habitat is in an arboretum or on the property of a certified tree enthusiast.
The most notable feature of a shagbark hickory is, not surprisingly, its shaggy bark, which peels away in long vertical strips but remains attached to the trunk for years at one end or the other, or even at the middle. The largest one at Regis included on this tour, which we estimate to be about 18 years old, has not yet begun to develop that bark and likely will not for another 35 years or more. Nut production also takes many years to begin. Yet, this is a very long-lived species, potentially surviving for more than 350 years.
An interesting feature of this tree is the rapid spring growth of its leaf buds, especially the terminal ones. In the spring, the pinkish reflexed bud scales elongate greatly and, along with the still miniature first emerging leaves, can be mistaken for large flowers. The foliage consists of compound leaves with five leaflets, with the terminal leaflet the largest. The leaves turn a bright yellow in the fall.
Shagbark hickory is a wind-pollinated species, so the flowers are not showy, but the fruits are distinctive: a nut up to 2 inches long with a moderately thick husk that splits at maturity to expose the hard shell containing a sweet nutmeat. This is likely the best-tasting nut of the genus, aside from pecan (which is also a species of hickory). It was an important food source for Indigenous peoples in its native range. The wood of hickory is valued for its toughness and for the flavor it imparts when used for smoking meat.
This species grows naturally across much of the eastern United States, though not into northern Wisconsin or Maine, nor into the most humid portions of the Deep South. Shagbark hickory can grow more than 100 feet tall with a typically upright form, meaning it is not as wide-spreading as many oaks and other hardwoods. More commonly, however, it reaches 60 to 80 feet in height, which is consistent with the current Colorado champions at 63, 66 and 67 feet.