The hickory family (Carya sp.) was one of two dominant species in the oak-hickory forest ecosystem that once dominated much of North America’s eastern woodlands from New York to Texas. Hickory trees are second only to oak trees in their importance as a hard mast producer throughout most of the Eastern United States. In at least one regard, hickories are actually superior to oaks: they produce mast annually (many oak species produce acorns only once every 2-3 years) and produce good mast crops more consistently than oaks.
Hickory nuts are edible by humans as well as wildlife. The best-tasting hickory nuts are considered to be from the Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata), the Shellbark hickory (Carya laciniosa), and the pecan (Carya illinoinensis).
There are more than 20 hickory species native to North America, including the following:
- Mockernut hickory (Carya alba)
- Water hickory (Carya aquatica)
- Bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis)
- Scrub hickory (Carya floridana)
- Pignut hickory (Carya glabra)
- Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)
- Shellbark hickory (Carya laciniosa)
- Nutmeg hickory (Carya myristiciformis)
- Red hickory (Carya ovalis)
- Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata)
- Sand hickory (Carya pallida)
- Black hickory (Carya texana)
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