Hickory, Shagbark | Arboretum | SIU

This tree is one of the 150 trees initially included in the arboretum to coincide with the campus's 150th anniversary celebration.

Scientific Name:
Carya ovata

Cultivar:

Native to:
Quebec to Minnesota, south to Georgia and Texas

Mature Height and Width:
60-80 feet by 40-60 feet, can reach 120 feet high

Additional Notes:
One of the most distinctive species in our forests, shagbark hickory trees have loose platy bark throughout their mature life.  This feature provides high quality nesting habitat for rare bat species.  Most other species typically have tighter bark through their healthy life and provide this type of habitat only once they are in a state of advanced decay.  For this reason, shagbark hickory stems are protected from harvest in many forests of the Midwest.

Photos: