Carya cordiformis
Owner: G & R Farms
Nominator: G & R Farms
Height: 31.3 m (102.7 ft)
Diameter: 83.23 cm (32.8 in)
Circumference: 261.5 cm (102.9 in)
Description
Bitternut Hickory is also known as swamp hickory and is the most abundant and uniformly distributed of all the hickories. Native to North America, this hickory can be found throughout the eastern and central United States as well as southern Ontario and Quebec. Bitternut grows best in moist soils and can often be found in bottomlands, though it does well on upland sites also. Associated forest cover includes American Basswood, Sugar Maple, Red Oak, Green Ash and Butternut. It is the shortest-lived of all the hickories with a lifespan of about 200 years. Bitternut is easily recognized during the winter months with its sulfur-yellow buds. The bark on older trees forms shallow furrows in x-shaped patterns. It is susceptible to attacks by the hickory bark beetle, particularly during drought years. Its dark brown close-grained hardwood is shock resistant which makes it excellent for tools. It is also an excellent fuelwood, burning with an intense flame and leaves little ash. The wood is also favoured for smoking meats and furniture. Bitternut hickory seeds are dispersed from September to December. This species does not produce seeds abundantly until the tree is approximately 30 years old with good seed crops occuring in 3 to 5 year intervals. The seeds are consumed by wildlife, but due to high tannin content and extreme bitterness, they are inedible for human consumption.
Koch, K. (1990, December). Silvics of North America, Volume 2: Hardwoods. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. Retrieved date (2010, December 14th) from http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/silvics_manual/table_of_contents.htm
(Source: DePauw University)
