Hickory (Carya spp.) is composed of at least 16 species native to Asia [4], Central America [4] and North America [1]). The word carya is from the Greek name for nut. This group can be split into the true hickories and the pecans based on microanatomy.
True Hickory Group (earlywood with parenchyma bands):
Carya glabra bitternut, black hickory, broom hickory, brown hickory, coast pignut hickory, false shagbark, hard shell, little pignut, little shagbark, nutmeg hickory, oval pignut hickory, pignut, pignut hickory, red hickory, redheart hickory, small fruited hickory, small pignut, smoothbark hickory, swamp hickory, sweet hickory, sweet pignut, sweet pignut hickory, switch-bud hickory, true hickory, white hickory
Carya lacinosa big shagbark, big shagbark hickory, big shellbark, big shellbark hickory, bigleaf shagbark hickory, bottom shellbark, king nut, ridge hickory, shellbark hickory, thickbark hickory, thick shellbark, thick shellbark hickory, true hickory, western shellbark
Carya ovata bird’s eye hickory, Carolina hickory, curly hickory, littlenut shagbark hickory, little pignut, little shagbark, mockernut hickory, red hickory, redheart hickory, scalybark hickory, shagbark, shagbark hickory, shagbark walnut, shellbark, shellbark hickory, shellbark tree, skid hickory, small pignut, small pignut hickory, southern hickory, southern shagbark hickory, southern shellbark, sweet walnut, true hickory, upland hickory, white hickory, whiteheart hickory, white walnut
Carya tomentosa big-bud, big hickory, black hickory, bullnut, common hickory, hardbark hickory, hickory-nut, hognut, mockernut, mockernut hickory, red hickory, true hickory, white hickory, whiteheart hickory
Pecan Hickory Group (earlywood without parenchyma bands):
Carya aquatica bitter pecan, bitter water hickory, faux hickory, lowground hickory, lowland hickory, noot hickory, not hickory, pecan, pecan hickory, pignut hickory, swamp hickory, water bitternut, water hickory, wild pecan
Carya cordiformis bitter hickory, bitternut, bitternut hickory, bitter pecan tree, bitter pignut, butternut, butternut hickory, highland hickory, pig hickory, pignut, pignut hickory, pig walnut, redheart hickory, swamp hickory, white hickory, yellowbud hickory
Carya floridana* Florida hickory, scrub hickory
Carya illinoensis faux hickory, pecan, pecan hickory, pecan nut, pecan tree, sweet pecan
Carya myristicaeformis bitter water hickory, bitter waternut, blasted pecan, nutmeg hickory, scalybark hickory, shagbark, shagbark hickory, shellbark hickory, swamp hickory, upland hickory
Carya pallida pale hickory, paleleaf hickory, pallid hickory, pignut hickory, sand hickory
Carya texana black hickory, buckley hickory, pignut hickory, Texas hickory
* not commercial
Distribution: Eastern to midwestern United States.
The Tree: Hickory trees can reach a height of 140
ft (43 m), with a diameter of
4 ft (1.2 m).
General Wood Characteristics: The sapwood of hickory is white, tinged with brown, while the heartwood is pale to reddish brown. The wood is known for its strength and shock resistance. It is difficult to dry or season. It rates above average in most working properties, except in shaping and nail-holding ability. The wood of pecans is rated slightly below that of true hickories.
Weighta
Weight
Moisture Specific lb/ft3 kg/m3
content gravity
True Hickory Group
Carya glabra (pignut hickory)
Green 0.66 63 1,009
12% 0.75 52 833
Ovendry NA NA NA
Carya lacinosa (shellbark hickory)
Green 0.62 62 993
12% 0.69 48 769
Ovendry NA NA NA
Carya ovata (shagbark hickory)
Green 0.64 64 1,025
12% 0.72 50 801
Ovendry NA NA NA
Carya tomentosa (mockernut hickory)
Green 0.64 64 1,025
12% 0.72 51 817
Ovendry NA NA NA
Pecan Hickory Group
Carya aquatica (water hickory)
Green 0.61 68 1,089
12% 0.62 43 689
Ovendry NA NA NA
Carya cordiformis (bitternut hickory)
Green 0.60 63 1,009
12% 0.66 46 737
Ovendry NA NA NA
Carya illinoensis (pecan)
Green 0.60 61 977
12% 0.66 46 737
Ovendry 0.69 NA NA
Carya myristicaeformis (nutmeg hickory)
Green 0.56 60 961
12% 0.60 42 673
Ovendry NA NA NA
aReferences: specific gravity, (98);
weight, (59).
Mechanical propertiesa
Property Green Dry
True Hickory Group
Carya glabra (pignut hickory)
MOE 1.65 106 11.376 GPa 2.26 106 15.583 GPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
MOR 11.7 103 80.672 MPa 20.1 103 138.590 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C| | 4.81 103 33.165 MPa 9.19 103 63.365 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C 0.92 103 6.343 MPa 1.98 103 13.652 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
WML 31.7 218.572 30.4 209.608
in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3 in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3
NA NA NA NA
Hardness
Shear| 1.37 103 9.446 MPa 2.15 103 14.824 MPa
| lbf/in2 lbf/in2
Carya lacinosa (shellbark hickory)
MOE 1.34 106 9.239 GPa 1.89 106 13.032 GPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
MOR 10.5 103 72.398 MPa 18.1 103 124.800 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C| | 3.92 103 27.028 MPa 8.00 103 55.160 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C 0.81 103 5.585 MPa 1.80 103 12.411 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
WML 29.9 206.161 23.6 162.722
in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3 in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3
NA NA NA NA
Hardness
Shear| 1.19 103 8.205 MPa 2.11 103 14.548 MPa
| lbf/in2 lbf/in2
Carya ovata (shagbark hickory)
MOE 1.57 106 10.825 GPa 2.16 106 14.893 GPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
MOR 11.0 103 75.845 MPa 20.2 103 139.279 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C| | 4.58 103 31.579 MPa 9.21 103 63.503 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C 0.84 103 5.792 MPa 1.76 103 12.135 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
WML 23.7 163.412 25.8 177.891
in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3 in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3
NA NA NA NA
Hardness
Shear| 1.52 103 10.480 MPa 2.16 103 14.893 MPa
| lbf/in2 lbf/in2
Carya tomentosa (mockernut hickory)
MOE 1.57 106 10.825 GPa 2.22 106 15.307 GPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
MOR 11.1 103 76.535 MPa 19.2 103 132.384 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C| | 4.48 103 30.890 MPa 8.94 103 61.641 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C 0.81 103 5.585 MPa 1.73 103 11.928 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
WML 26.1 179.960 22.6 155.827
in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3 in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3
NA NA NA NA
Hardness
Shear| 1.28 103 8.825 MPa 1.74 103 11.997 MPa
| lbf/in2 lbf/in2
Mechanical properties—con.
Property Green Dry
Pecan Hickory Group
Carya aquatica (water hickory)
MOE 1.56 106 10.756 GPa 2.02 106 13.928 GPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
MOR 10.7 103 73.777 MPa 17.8 103 122.731 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C| | 4.66 103 32.131 MPa 8.60 103 59.297 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C 0.88 103 6.068 MPa 1.55 103 10.687 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
WML 18.8 129.626 19.3 133.074
in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3 in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3
NA NA NA NA
Hardness
Shear| 1.44 103 9.928 MPa NA NA
| lbf/in2
Carya cordiformis (bitternut hickory)
MOE 1.40 106 9.653 GPa 1.79 106 12.342 GPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
MOR 10.3 103 71.019 MPa 17.1 103 117.905 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C| | 4.57 103 31.510 MPa 9.04 103 62.331 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C 0.80 103 5.516 MPa 1.68 103 11.584 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
WML 20.0 137.900 18.2 125.489
in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3 in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3
NA NA NA NA
Hardness
Shear| 1.24 103 8.549 MPa NA NA
| lbf/in2
Carya illinoensis (pecan)
MOE 1.37 106 9.446 GPa 1.73 106 11.928 GPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
MOR 9.80 103 67.571 MPa 13.7 103 94.462 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C| | 3.99 103 27.511 MPa 7.85 103 54.126 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C 0.78 103 5.378 MPa 1.72 103 11.859 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
WML 14.6 100.667 13.8 95.151
in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3 in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3
1,310 lbf 5826.88 N 1,820 lbf 8095.36
Hardness
Shear| 1.48 103 10.204 MPa 2.08 14.341
| lbf/in2
Carya myristicaeformis (nutmeg hickory)
MOE 1.29 106 8.894 GPa 1.70 106 11.722 GPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
MOR 9.10 103 62.745 MPa 16.6 103 114.457 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C| | 3.98 103 27.442 MPa 6.91 103 47.644 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C 0.76 103 5.240 MPa 1.57 103 10.825 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
WML 22.8 157.206 25.1 173.065
in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3 in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3
NA NA NA NA
Hardness
Shear| 1.03 103 7.102 MPa NA NA
| lbf/in2
aReference (98).
Drying and shrinkagea
Percentage of
shrinkage
(green to final
moisture content)
Type of shrinkage 0% MC 6% MC 20%
MC
Tangential
True Hickory Group
Carya glabra (pignut 11.5 9.2 3.8
hickory)
Carya lacinosa (shellbark 12.6 10.1 4.2
hickory)
Carya ovata (shagbark 10.5 8.0 3.3
hickory)
Carya tomentosa 11.0 8.8 3.7
(mockernut hickory)
Pecan Hickory Group
Carya aquatica (water NA NA NA
hickory)
Carya cordiformis NA NA NA
(bitternut hickory)
Carya illinoensis (pecan) 8.9 NA NA
Carya myristicaeformis NA NA NA
(nutmeg hickory)
Radial
True Hickory Group
Carya glabra (pignut 7.2 5.8 2.4
hickory)
Carya lacinosa (shellbark 7.6 6.1 2.5
hickory)
Carya ovata (shagbark 7.0 5.6 2.3
hickory)
Carya tomentosa 7.7 6.2 2.6
(mockernut hickory)
Pecan Hickory Group
Carya aquatica (water NA NA NA
hickory)
Carya cordiformis NA NA NA
(bitternut hickory)
Carya illinoensis (pecan) 4.9 NA NA
Carya myristicaeformis NA NA NA
(nutmeg hickory)
Volumetric
True Hickory Group
Carya glabra (pignut 17.9 14.3 6.0
hickory)
Carya lacinosa (shellbark 19.2 15.4 6.4
hickory)
Carya ovata (shagbark 16.7 13.4 5.6
hickory)
Carya tomentosa 17.8 14.3 6.0
(mockernut hickory)
Pecan Hickory Group
Carya aquatica (water 13.6 NA NA
hickory)
Carya cordiformis 13.6 NA NA
(bitternut hickory)
Carya illinoensis (pecan) 13.6 NA NA
Carya myristicaeformis NA NA NA
(nutmeg hickory)
aReferences: 0% MC, (98); 6% and 20%, (90).
Kiln drying schedulea
4/4, 5/4, 8/4 10/4 12/4 16/4
Condition 6/4 stock stock stock stock
stock
Standard T8-D3 T6-D1 NA NA NA
aReferences (6, 86).
Working Properties: Hickory is considered difficult to machine and glue. It holds nails well, but it tends to split. It is susceptible to bird peck.
Durability: Rated as slightly or nonresistant to heartwood decay.
Preservation: Extremely resistant.
Uses: Tool handles, furniture, cabinetry, ladder rungs, dowels, sporting goods (including baseball bats, skis and archery equipment), flooring, veneer, plywood, fuelwood, charcoal.
Toxicity: No information available at this time.
Additional Reading: 18, 29, 55, 68, 71, 74, 91. 55, 66, 68, 74, 79. 28, 29, 42, 43, 44, 48, 50, 55, 56, 68, 72, 73, 74, 79, 92, 97, 102. 74, 75, 77, 99, 106. 101.