Shagbark Hickory - Carya ovata Walnut Family (Juglandaceae)

The shagbark hickory is the symbol of the Pioneer Age. Shagbark hickory’s most prominent ornamental feature is its unique, smoke-gray bark that warps away from the stem in foot-long plates.1

The edges of long plates of bark curl away from the trunk, giving this tree a very rugged appearance.1

Its savory nuts attract squirrels and other animals.1

Shagbark hickory has a sweet, white nut that Native Americans stored in massive quantities and used to make “hickory milk,” a nutritious staple of most of their cooking.1