Carya pallida

Carya pallida, sand hickory, or pale hickory is a species of hickory native to the southeastern United States. It is a perennial, dicotyledonous plant which prefers rocky or sandy habitats. The sand hickory can reach heights of up to 30m, but its typical height is between 9-24m. In an open area, Carya crowns are usually towering and slim. The sand hickory nut is edible and consumed by various organisms.

Description

A large tree. It grows 24 m high. The trunk is 30-60 cm across. The bark is smooth and has deep grooves. The leaves are compound and 18-38 cm long. The leaves have 7-9 leaflets along the stalk. They are light green above and have silver-grey scales underneath. The flowers are very small and greenish. The male flowers are in slender drooping catkins. There are 3 flowers hanging from one stalk. The female flowers occur singly at the tip of the same twig. The fruit is oval and 30 mm long. It splits at the base when ripe. The seed is edible.

Edible Uses

The seed can be eaten raw or cooked. It is small and sweet with a relatively thin shell, and measures up to 3cm long. Seeds ripen in late autumn and keep for at least 6 months when stored in the shell in a cool place.

Medicinal Uses

The inner bark is astringent and detergent. It has been used as a dressing for cuts and has been chewed to treat sore mouths.

Distribution

It grows on dry sandy and rocky soils. It grows to 760 m altitude in the USA. It suits hardiness zones 6-9.

Where It Grows

Britain, Europe, North America, USA,

Propagation

Seed requires cold stratification before it will germinate. Sow in a cold frame as soon as seed is ripe; stored seed should be kept moist (but not wet) and sown in a cold frame as soon as possible. Where possible, sow 1 or 2 seeds per deep pot and thin to the strongest seedling. Transplant seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle, using deep pots to accommodate the taproot, and move plants to their permanent positions as soon as possible — ideally in their first summer — with cold protection for at least the first winter. Seed can also be sown in situ with protection from mice and cold; a bottomless plastic bottle capped with wire mesh works well for both purposes.

Other Uses

The wood is heavy, hard, and tough, and is used for tool handles and similar applications. It makes a good fuel, burning well and giving off good heat.

Notes

There are about 14-25 Carya species.

Synonyms

References (8)

• Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 87
• H. G. A. Engler, Notizbl. Koenigl. Bot. Gart. Berlin App. 9:19. 1902
• Etherington, K., & Imwold, D., (Eds), 2001, Botanica's Trees & Shrubs. The illustrated A-Z of over 8500 trees and shrubs. Random House, Australia. p 185
• Krochmal, A. & Krochmal, C., 1982, Uncultivated Nuts of The United States. United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. p 48
• Little, E.L., 1980, National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees. Alfred A. Knopf. p 353

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