Overall plant - fall color
Common Name: hickory
Type: Tree
Family: Juglandaceae
Native Range: Canada, Northeastern United States
Zone: 4 to 8
Height: 40.00 to 60.00 feet
Spread: 30.00 to 50.00 feet
Bloom Time: April to May
Bloom Description: Green
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Shade Tree
Flower: Insignificant
Leaf: Good Fall
Fruit: Showy, Edible
Tolerate: Black Walnut
Culture
Best grown in rich, moist, humusy, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Best performance occurs in full sun. Plants are generally intolerant of shade. This tree may be difficult to transplant because of its long taproot.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Carya × laneyi, sometimes commonly called Laney’s hickory, is a naturally occurring hybrid between C. cordiformis (bitternut hickory) and C. ovata (shagbark hickory). It is infrequently found in the wild in northeastern North America. It is a deciduous tree that typically grows 40-60’ tall. Compound, odd-pinnate, light to medium green leaves, each leaf with 5 lanceolate to oblanceolate leaflets. Leaves turn yellow in fall. Non-showy, monoecious, green flowers bloom in April-May, with the male flowers in catkins (to 4” long) and the female flowers on short spikes. Female flowers give way to fruits (edible hickory nuts). Each nut is encased in a husk which splits open in fall when ripe. Nuts are thin shelled and sweet tasting.
Genus name comes from the Greek word karya used for walnut trees.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Hickory bark beetle, pecan weevil, borers and twig girdler can be problems in some areas of its range. White heart rot, anthracnose, leaf blotch, powdery mildew, leaf spot, catkin blight and crown gall are occasional diseases. Large trees can produce considerable litter through twig, leaf and fruit (nut) drop.
Uses
A tall tree that may be difficult to locate in commerce.