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 ovalis   FAMILY Juglandaceae   Go to FSUS key



SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Carya ovalis   FAMILY Juglandaceae

INCLUDED WITHIN Flora of North America

Carya glabra

SYNONYMOUS WITH Guide to the Vascular Plants of the Blue Ridge (Wofford, 1989)

Carya glabra var. odorata

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 053-02-011:

Carya ovalis   FAMILY Juglandaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Hicoria microcarpa

 

COMMON NAME:
Red Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory


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

image of Carya ovalis, Red Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory

Ron Lance    jkm110219_651

        

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

image of Carya ovalis, Red Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory

Manual of the Trees of North America (Exclusive of Mexico) (Sargent, 1905)    mtna_i_226a

        

image of Carya ovalis, Red Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_carya_ovalis_10

January        

Husk winged on seams beyond middle, splits nearly to base oft retaining nut, per Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance).

image of Carya ovalis, Red Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_carya_ovalis_12

January        

Twigs glabrous, slender to moderately stout; (inner) bud scales tight, pale, per Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance).

image of Carya ovalis, Red Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory

JK Marlow    jkm0402b_31

February    Rutherford County    NC

Chimney Rock Park

image of Carya ovalis, Red Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory

JK Marlow    jkm230221_1158

February    Greenville County    SC

image of Carya ovalis, Red Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory

JK Marlow    jkm230416_2443

April    Greenville County    SC

image of Carya ovalis, Red Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory

JK Marlow    s040515_opq

May    Greenville County    SC

Arguably distinct from C. glabra, per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).

image of Carya ovalis, Red Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_carya_ovalis_11

June        

Leaves with (5-)7 leaflets, pubescent beneath; petiole reddish, per Weakley's Flora.

image of Carya ovalis, Red Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_carya_ovalis_8

June        

image of Carya ovalis, Red Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory

JK Marlow    s050807_fh

August    Greenville County    SC

Leaves more commonly with 7 leaflets, per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).

image of Carya ovalis, Red Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory

JK Marlow    s050807_i

August    Greenville County    SC

Petiole reddish, per Weakley's Flora.

image of Carya ovalis, Red Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory

JK Marlow    jkm0509i_20

September    Greenville County    SC

Fruit 1 to 1.25" long, husk thin and winged on seams beyond middle, per Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance).

image of Carya ovalis, Red Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory

JK Marlow    jkm0510a_37

October    Greenville County    SC

image of Carya ovalis, Red Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory

JK Marlow    jkm0211g_13a

November    Greenville County    SC

image of Carya ovalis, Red Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory

JK Marlow    jkm151103_040

November    Greenville County    SC

image of Carya ovalis, Red Hickory, Sweet Pignut Hickory

Ron Lance    jkm110219_638b

Month Unknown        

Fruits not pear-shaped, the nuts pointed at both ends & weakly angled, per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).

 

 

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

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Carya ovalis   FAMILY Juglandaceae

INCLUDED WITHIN Flora of North America
Carya glabra

SYNONYMOUS WITH Guide to the Vascular Plants of the Blue Ridge (Wofford, 1989)
Carya glabra var. odorata

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 053-02-011:
Carya ovalis   FAMILY Juglandaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Hicoria microcarpa

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

275

Tree
Perennial
Monoecious

Habitat: forests and woodlands, per Weakley's Flora

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

Common (rare in GA Piedmont & SC Coastal Plain)

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

Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)

LEAVES:
Deciduous
Odd-pinnately compound: (5)7 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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