Hickory, Nutmeg

Nutmeg Hickory (Carya myristicaeformis) is the rarest species in the genus, occurring in scattered relic populations of Southeastern North Carolina, Eastern South Carolina, Central Alabama and Mississippi, Northern Louisiana, Southern Arkansas, East Texas and Northern Mexico.

Nutmeg hickory is a slow growing medium-sized tree with a tall, straight, shaggy trunk and stout, slightly spreading branches that form a narrow and rather open crown. It can attain heights of 80 to 100 feet and a trunk diameter of 24 inches. Nutmeg Hickory is one of the most easily recognized Carya species, with its distinctive buds, leaves, fruit and bark.

Upper LEAF surfaces are green, with scattered silver scales. The shiny silver of the lower leaf surface flashes against the darker green of the upper leaf surfaces when the canopies are rustled by winds, making the tree the most attractive hickory. LEAFLET number is highly variable, ranging from 5 to 11.

The FRUIT is nearly spherical, and is conspicuous by its coloration; nuts are reddish brown covered with silver stripes and resemble the spice seed nutmeg (Myristica fragrans), from which the tree gets both its scientific and common names. Husks are thin, golden with scales, and have pronounced sutures from the tip to the base. Nuts have very thick shells and sweet kernels.

SHOOTS of the current season are silver in early spring and retain a metallic shine throughout the season, due to the presence of peltate scales. TERMINAL BUDS are about 5 mm long, plump, and are often golden in color, sprinkled with silvery peltate scales.

The BARK of the tree is brownish gray and exfoliates in plates.

The small nuts have such thick shells that, despite the sweet, oil rich kernel, most nuts lie where they fall under the tree, being of little use to WILDLIFE except to some borer type insects.