Hickory Tree Facts
The hickory tree is the common name for any of around seventeen different species of trees belonging to the genus “Carya.” Here are some hickory tree facts.
Hickory Tree Facts
There are about seventeen different species of trees in the Carya genus. The name comes from the Greek work kary which means nuts. A dozen of these species are found in North America and the remainder grow in Asia, mostly in China and Indochina. The fruit of hickory trees are globular or oval nuts. The nuts are in two halves which split apart when the fruit germinates. Some of the nuts are well known foods for humans such as the popular pecan. Here are some additional hickory tree facts.
Hickory trees have several insect pests that get their primary food supply from them. Some of these pests are relatively harmless, but others can damage trees especially if the trees are subject to other stress. One small insect lives out its rather complex life cycle on hickory trees. They form a small cocoon like structure called a gall. The insect and the galls do no damage to the tree, but squirrels appear to be inordinately fond of the galls and dig into the trees to extract and eat them. This often causes damage to the branches.
Hickory is a hard but flexible wood. This has made hickory wood a popular choice for such items as axe handles, wheel carts, and even bows. One rather infamous use of hickory was in the famous hickory paddles that were a standard in many homes and school rooms and used for punishment. Today, paddling with hickory switches or paddles is generally frowned on in society, but many older people have not so fond memories of hickory paddles.
Hickory wood has a very high caloric content. This had made them a popular choice for burning in wood stoves. Hickory wood is also the wood of choice for smoke curing of food. Hickory smoke tends to add a distinct taste to cooked foods and most barbeque cooks are familiar with hickory smoked cooking.
One interesting fact about hickory trees is that they are not self-compatible. When used with trees or flowering plants, it means that one tree can not pollinate itself. Nor can trees from the same source or type cross pollinate. A group of trees sharing a similar type is called a cultivar which is a coined word that combines cultivated and variety. The fact that plants from the same cultivars can not pollinate each other is of interest to anyone attempting to raise hickories for their nuts. This would include pecan tree growers. It is necessary to bring in some outside trees in order to complete pollination.