Shagbark Hickory. Shellbark Hickory
Carya ovata (Mill.) K. Koch [Hicoria ovata (Mill.) Britt.] [Carya alba Nutt.]
HABIT.—A tree 60-80 feet high, with a slender, columnar trunk 1-2 feet in diameter; forming a narrow, somewhat open crown of stout, slightly spreading limbs and stout branchlets.
LEAVES.—Alternate, compound, 8-14 inches long. Leaflets usually 5, the upper 5-7 inches long and 2-3 inches broad; sessile, except the terminal; obovate to oblong-lanceolate; finely serrate; thick and firm; glabrous, dark green above, paler beneath and glabrous or puberulous. Petioles stout, smooth or hairy. Foliage fragrant when crushed.
FLOWERS.—May, after the leaves; monoecious; the staminate hairy, greenish, in pendulous, ternate catkins 4-5 inches long, on a common peduncle about 1 inch long; scales 3-parted, bristle-tipped; stamens 4, with bearded, yellow anthers; the pistillate in 2-5-flowered spikes, 1/3 inch long, brown-tomentose; calyx 4-lobed, hairy; corolla 0; stigmas 2, large, fringed.
FRUIT.—October; globular, 1-2 inches long, with thick husk separating completely; nut usually 4-ridged, with thick shell and large, sweet, edible kernel.
WINTER-BUDS.—Terminal bud 1/2-3/4 inch long, broadly ovoid, obtuse, dark brown, pale-tomentose or nearly glabrous.
BARK.—Twigs brownish, more or less downy, becoming smooth and grayish; thick and grayish on old trunks, separating into thick strips 1-3 feet long, free at one or both ends, giving a characteristic shaggy appearance.
WOOD.—Heavy, very hard and strong, tough, close-grained, elastic, light brown, with thin, whitish sapwood.
DISTRIBUTION.—Common in the Lower Peninsula as far north as Roscommon County.