Maple and Hickory Trees for Your Landscape

Want a nice native maple or native hickory tree for your landscape but unsure of which one to choose? Below are just a few of each for a guide to which native maple or native hickory tree you may like to get. They each have profiles that list planting instructions, general overviews of the trees, and other information.

Carya alba (L.) Nutt. ex Ell. (Mockernut Hickory)

Kingdom Plantae - Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta - Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta - Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons

Subclass Hamamelidae -

Order Juglandales -

Family Juglandaceae - Walnut family

Genus Carya Nutt. - hickory

Species Carya alba (L.) Nutt. ex Ell. - mockernut hickory

This tree gets up to 50-80 feet tall and has a 2 foot diameter in the trunk area. It loves full sun and acidic soil. There is good fall color with this hickory and the wood has been used for furniture, flooring veneer, and has a high fuel value. Its hickory nut fruits are edible, and wildlife loves them. You may see tiny green flowers on this tree in early spring, but is not known as a tree for discernable flowers.

Carya aquatica (Michx. f.) Nutt. (Water Hickory, Bitter Pecan)

Kingdom Plantae - Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta - Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta - Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons

Subclass Hamamelidae -

Order Juglandales -

Family Juglandaceae - Walnut family

Genus Carya Nutt. - hickory

Species Carya aquatica (Michx. f.) Nutt. - water hickory

This tree gets up to 65 feet tall and one foot wide. It has a narrow crown and prefers partial shade with wet soil. Its flowers are yellow and its fruits are nuts in thin husks. The seeds have a bitter taste, giving the name "Bitter Pecan". Its bark is shaggy and scaly and lends texture to the tree. Its wood is difficult to work with and is used normally as a fuel source.

Carya glabra (P. Mill.) Sweet (Pignut Hickory)

Kingdom Plantae - Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta - Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta - Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants