Bitternut Hickory
Carya cordiformis
Also listed as Carya amara, Carya minima
Also known as Bitternut, Pignut, Pignut Hickory
Climate Match for your location
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A native hardwood tree valued for its hard wood and edible nuts enclosed in a thin, bitter husk. It develops golden-yellow fall color and tolerates a range of soil conditions.
Why grow it
Bitternut hickory produces nuts with notably thin shells compared to other hickories, making mechanical cracking easier, though the bitter taste limits culinary appeal. The species establishes reliably across a broader range of soil pH and moisture conditions than shagbark or shellbark hickories, making it useful where those species struggle. Its dense wood and wildlife value (as mast for squirrels and birds) offer additional returns beyond nut production in a polyculture setting.
Watch out for
The nuts require significant processing to separate the bitter kernel from the shell efficiently, and yields are inconsistent year to year depending on weather during flowering. Trees are slow to reach nut-bearing age (7-10 years minimum) and take decades to reach full productivity, demanding patience in a perennial system.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Juglandaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Canopy
The tallest trees that form the overstory.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
A native hardwood tree valued for its hard wood and edible nuts enclosed in a thin, bitter husk. It develops golden-yellow fall color and tolerates a range of soil conditions.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Bitternut Hickory grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Bitternut hickory produces nuts with notably thin shells compared to other hickories, making mechanical cracking easier, though the bitter taste limits culinary appeal. The species establishes reliably across a broader range of soil pH and moisture conditions than shagbark or shellbark hickories, making it useful where those species struggle. Its dense wood and wildlife value (as mast for squirrels and birds) offer additional returns beyond nut production in a polyculture setting.
Watch out for
The nuts require significant processing to separate the bitter kernel from the shell efficiently, and yields are inconsistent year to year depending on weather during flowering. Trees are slow to reach nut-bearing age (7-10 years minimum) and take decades to reach full productivity, demanding patience in a perennial system.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Juglandaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Canopy
The tallest trees that form the overstory.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
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