Mocker Nut Hickory
Carya alba (L.) K. Koch [Hicoria alba (L.) Britt.] [Carya tomentosa Nutt.]
HABIT.—A tree 50-70 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 1-2-1/2 feet; forming a wide crown of strong, upright branches and stout branchlets.
LEAVES.—Alternate, compound, 8-12 inches long. Leaflets usually 5-7, sometimes 9, the upper 5-8 inches long, 3-4 inches broad; sessile, except the terminal; oblong- to obovate-lanceolate; minutely or sometimes coarsely serrate; thick and firm; lustrous, dark yellow-green above, paler and more or less pubescent beneath. Petioles pubescent. Foliage fragrant when crushed.
FLOWERS.—May, after the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in pendulous, ternate catkins 4-5 inches long, slender, green, hairy; scales 3-lobed, hairy; stamens 4-5, with red anthers; the pistillate in crowded, 2-5-flowered, tomentose spikes; calyx toothed, hairy; corolla 0; stigmas 2, hairy.
FRUIT.—October; globose to globose-oblong, 1-1/2-2 inches long, with thick husk splitting nearly to the base; nut 4-ridged, red-brown, with very thick, hard shell and small, sweet kernel.
WINTER-BUDS.—Terminal bud 1/2-3/4 inch long, broadly ovoid, red-brown, pilose; outermost scales fall in early autumn.
BARK.—Twigs at first brown-tomentose, becoming smooth and grayish; on the trunk thick, hard, grayish, slightly ridged by shallow, irregular fissures, becoming rugged on very old trunks.
WOOD.—Very heavy, hard, strong, tough, close-grained, elastic, dark brown, with thick, whitish sapwood.
DISTRIBUTION.—Southern Peninsula as far north as Grand Rapids and Flint. Infrequent.