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Mockernut hickory

Carya tomentosa

Mockernut hickory
Photo: Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0

Mockernut hickory is a long-lived, straight-growing forest tree native to the eastern United States and southern Ontario, valued for its strong wood and wildlife nuts. It is grown as a shade and landscape tree where it has room to develop a deep taproot.

Family
Juglandaceae (Walnut family)
Grows as
Tree
Light
Full sun, Part shade
Water
Water young trees regularly during establishment, then rely mostly on rainfall, as established trees tolerate moist to average conditions.
Soil
Deep, well-drained loam; tolerates a range of soils but dislikes waterlogging.
Temperature
Hardy to roughly -30 °C; cold-hardy temperate tree with no frost protection needed once established.
How easy
Moderate
Safety
Not known to be toxic. Not toxic to cats or dogs (ASPCA).
Edible
Yes, some parts
Native range
S. Ontario to C. & E. U.S.A.
Climate
temperate

About

Carya tomentosa, commonly known as mockernut hickory, mockernut, white hickory, whiteheart hickory, hognut, bullnut, is a species of tree in the walnut family Juglandaceae. The most abundant of the hickories, and common in the eastern half of the United States, it is long lived, sometimes reaching the age of 500 years. A straight-growing hickory, a high percentage of its wood is used for products where strength, hardness, and flexibility are needed. The wood makes excellent fuel wood, as well.

Where it grows

Mockernuts are preferred mast for wildlife, particularly squirrels, which eat green nuts. Black bears, foxes, rabbits, beavers, and white-footed mice feed on the nuts, and sometimes the bark. The white-tailed deer browse on foliage and twigs and also feed on nuts. Hickory nuts are a minor source of food for ducks, quail, and turkey.

Uses

True hickories provide a large portion of the high-grade hickory used by industry. Mockernut is used for lumber, pulpwood, charcoal, and other fuelwood products. Hickory species are preferred species for fuelwood consumption. Mockernut has the second-highest heating value among the species of hickories. It can be used for veneer, but the low supply of logs of veneer quality is a limiting factor.

Other Carya plants

Water hickory · Pignut hickory · Pecan · Shellbark hickory · Nutmeg hickory · Red hickory · Shagbark hickory · Sand hickory · Black hickory · Hickory

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Carya tomentosa by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

Pet safety from the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists.

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