Carya myristiciformis

Common Names

Nutmeg Hickory, Swamp Hickory, Bitter Water Hickory, Bitter Hickory

Summary

Nutmeg hickory (Carya myristiciformis) is a native North American large deciduous tree in the Juglandaceae, typically reaching up to about 100 feet tall with brownish-gray bark that forms diamond-shaped ridges and a large taproot, leaves are pinnately compound with 5–9 leaflets, leaf undersides silvery and bronzed with maturity, and a bronze sheen on the leaflets, the tree is monoecious with wind-pollinated flowers, and fruits are thick-shelled nuts enclosed in a husk bearing golden scales, with nutmeat described as sweet, autumn foliage turns gold, and the species occurs in calcareous bottomlands, riparian and upland calcareous woodlands across the southeastern United States to northeastern Mexico, with drought tolerance noted, for cultivation Nutmeg hickory prefers full sun and moist, fertile, well‑drained soils and shows drought tolerance, a strong taproot means permanent planting is recommended, hardiness is roughly zones 7a–9b, seed production begins around 30 years, with a peak between 50 and 125 years and good crops every 2–3 years, nuts are edible and serve as wildlife food, while wood is used for lumber but not a major timber source, the species is slow-growing and well-suited for shade and wildlife habitat in appropriate landscapes

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

80-100 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 5-9

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full Sun. Tolerates partial shade.

Soil Type

Moist, calcareous, well-drained loam

Soil Drainage

Moist soils that are well or moderately well drained.

Soil pH

Slightly acidic to mildly alkaline, Circumneutral (near-neutral) soil pH, No single ideal pH; sources indicate tolerance across acid, neutral, and alkaline soils

Bloom Color

Insignificant

Bloom Time

Spring (April–May).

Foliage Color

Green upper leaf surfaces, undersides bronzy to silvery, autumn foliage yellow to golden-yellow.

Fall Foliage Color

Yellow to golden-yellow, occasionally gold or orange

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Slow; exact growth rate not well known.

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Grafting

Attracts Wildlife

Nuts produced and relished by squirrels; no evidence of attraction to bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, other pollinators, or birds